Konoha High Academy
by 12-SmileyRose
Summary: 7 girls are back but after 5 years of being away, will everything still be the same? Are there more than friendships now? How many fan girls this time? They're rich but not problem free. Humour romance happiness heartbreaks. Typical teens Sasusaku naruhina Shikatema Yahiko x Konan Gaamatsu KibaIno/SaiIno Konohana ItachixOOC Lee Shino Choji Akatsuki kankuro more. HIATUS
1. Ch1 Welcome Home

"…" someone is talking.

'…' someone is thinking.

*…* inner talking.

* * *

_**(I)Welcome Home.**_

_It's your birthplace  
Where you grew up,  
Loaded with memories.  
You'll always come back  
Coz home is where the heart is._

_**-Welcome Home!-**_

* * *

"_Ladies and gentlemen, kindly put your seatbelts on. We'll be taking off in 5 minutes. Enjoy the flight to Konoha, Japan. Arigatou. Thank you."_

Seven excited girls were seated in a single row in the First class cabin of the plane. England had been great, but nothing can ever compare to Konoha.  
The place they were born.  
The place they left when they were merely children.  
The place where their families and friends lives.  
Home.  
They were finally going home after 5 long years.

"Oh god we're _finally_ heading home you guys!" the natural blonde haired girl of the group squealed.

A hearty laugh was heard from the pink haired. "Yes, wonder how much everyone else has changed?"

"Tch. Lazy ass will be as lazy as ever." The dirty blonde girl with four pig tails smirked at the thought said out loud.

"Our prodigy friends will be as emotionless as ever," giggled the short haired brunette.

"Heh – that will never change," commented another brunette. Her hair was placed in two signature buns.

"I-I can't wait to see N-n-naruto-kun," stated a certain long, raven haired girl with fringes.

The third long, haired brunette with a bandana keeping her hair intact spoke up. "True love never dies huh?"

The seven rich girls burst out laughing.

Respectively, these young girls were:

**Ino Yamaka** – the beauty queen _and_ drama queen of the group. Drop dead gorgeous, flawless body. Stubborn but she's still a kind and true loyal friend.

**Sakura Haruno **– Smart, caring, impatient and beautiful. Compromises situations and evades fights as much as possible, though impatient. End up on her bad side = you better watch out.

**Temari Subaku **– Tomboy but wears girlish clothes, loving and understanding. Never underestimate for she knows how to fight and merciless when needs to be.

**TenTen Hua **– Chinese blood runs through this tomboy. She has her girly moments but still a sports freak. An amazing friend and totally trustworthy.

**Hinata Hyuuga **– Sweet, gentle, considerate and the optimistic one of the group. She maybe quiet but don't let it fool you because she can and will defend her loved ones.

**Matsuri Sunan** – Girly, faithful, lovable and cute too. Determined, hard worker and tends to see the good side of people but she hates disloyalty.

**Sari Kagesan** – She'll fight for what she thinks is right. Soft hearted when it comes to her dear ones but devious to her enemies. These qualities only add up to her beauty.

* * *

_**At the 'arrivals' gates of Konoha Airport:**_

"They're over there!" Ino pointed out frantically and ran over to their awaiting families yelling, "You guys! DADDY! Deidara nii-san!"

Several heads of the people surrounding them turned to look at the over excited pony-tailed, blonde. Realising it wasn't anything interesting, they soon returned their attention to whatever it was they were doing.

The other girls hastily approached the group of familiar people while Ino was engulfed in a huge embrace by her otousan (father) and her cousin, Deidara.

"Aww – Ino you've grown, un." Deidara grinned at his much adored cousin

Laughing, Ino lightly punched him on the shoulder and tears threatening to roll down her flushed cheeks. "You've no idea how much I missed you."

Her father wiped away her tears with his thumb and embraced her once more. "We missed you too darling."

"Yeah un!" Deidara tried ease the mood.

Soon enough the rest of the girls were surrounded by their families, engulfing each other in huge hugs, exchanging pleasantries and catching up.

xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx

"SIS! Wow – you still look the same!" Temari's brother Kankuro enlightened.

"Hn. He's right sis." Gaara, the youngest of the Subaku siblings smirked.

Temari grunted but smiled and hugged her two loving brothers. "Well neither have two."

Out of the blue, they whipped their heads around, letting their attention divert to the two giggling brunettes.

Matsuri was the first to speak up.  
"Well, Gaara? No hug for your best friend?" She sounded so innocent.

A smirk brightened up Gaara's emontionless faced and he caught her off-guard by embracing her. The shock on her face showed distinctly that she had not expected it for Gaara avoided as much physical contact as possible.  
Just like the two prodigy childhood friends of theirs, Sasuke Uchiha and Neji Hyuuga.

Kankurou chuckled and rendered his attention to the longer-haired, chuckling brunette.

They gazes met and with a silent understanding their hand instantaneously moved to perform their signature handshake.  
One would think that after five years the handshake would be defective. But no – simultaneously their hands moved in precision to make the correct gesture and after a few seconds they were done. Catching each others' eye again, they burst out laughing then Kankuro pulled her into a bear hug.

Temari just observed them, her grin widening all the more while each second ticked by. She loved her brothers and equally loved Matsuri and Sari as well. She even considered them and the other girls as the sisters she never had.

xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx

"Mom! Dad!" Sakura dropped her luggage and ran over to her parents and encircled both hands around them double-time. "I missed you _so so _much!"

Her father patted her back and her mom hugged her back.  
Beaming, they assured her, "We missed you too sweet heart. We missed you too…"

xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx

A messily dark brown haired girl ran up to Hinata and clinched to her

"Hanabi-chan…" Hinata was speechless.

Tightening her hug, Hanabi cuddle to her elder sister. "Don't _ever _leave us again nee-chan-"

Awestricken, Hinata hugged her sister as well.

"Hn. Hinata-sama. I see you've changed a lot." A playful grin was clear on Neji's face.

Hinata smiled at her over protective cousin. "Thank you nii-san."

"Am I forgotten?" TenTen asked good-humouredly.

Neji turned around to face Tenten, His best friend. "Why would you say that?"

Then out of the blue Neji had pulled Tenten, Hinata and Hanabi into a tight and loving embrace. He unmistakably missed them so much because the Neji they were used to hated hugging anyone and everyone.

Well, what can they say, this was an exception considering they haven't seen each other since the seven girls left to study in a boarding school halfway around the world. To study abroad instead of in Konoha because of that day. That bloody and life changing day...

.

Observing them this whole time, Hinata's father finally spoke up.

"Welcome home my daughter." He beamed at her with adoration and then turned to TenTen.

"You too, TenTen-san. I'm sure your parents would be proud of you if they can see you now."

TenTen murmured a politely thank you at her dead parent's best friend.

.

xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx

.

Without exception, each girls had nothing but a single sincere thought in their mind while they talked with their dear ones.

And that thought was simple

'_**It's Great to Be Back Home'**_

* * *

_**Flashbacks**_

_TenTen was orphaned when she just 9 years old. Her parents were on their way to China for a business trip when the plane they were flying in crashed. Ever since then she lived with the Hyuuga family.  
Hiashi-sama was her father's best friend and was nonchalant about having her live with them. She was able to adjust living in the hyuuga compound in no time at all, considering she'd known Hinata, Neji and Hanibi her whole life._

_She was able to pay for her studies and necessities using the never ending money she inherited from her parents.  
Hinata's father was handling her parent's world wide weapon factories until Tenten was at a suitable age to handle it on her own._

_._

_Temari and her two siblings had lived in Konoha since forever, even though they were originally from Suna, the 3 hour drive neighboring town. Their father owned most of the school in Suna and was even the Principal of the town's top school, Suna High School. Their mom had died 5 years ago, months apart from that accident that changed their lives..._

_They rarely saw their father but they survived in their mansion with only the company of maids, butlers, chefs etc… _

_Sure they might have been living a life of luxury, but it could get lonely at times. Then Sari and Matsuri, their friends from Suna, came to live with them. It got less isolated and life perked up for the trio of siblings._

_xXx.-.-.-.-.-.-. _

_Sakura was an only child and would always be one. _

_But, with two over enthusiastic cousins living with her, she was never alone._

_In fact her cousins Konan and Sasori were just as deranged as her (in a good way).  
Weird hair colour runs in her family. Konan had blue hair, Sasori had scarlet-red hair and she had pastel pink hair._

_She acknowledged Temari, Tenten, Hinata, Ino, Matsuri and Sari as her sisters as well and she knows it was the same with the rest of them.  
Her best friends were Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki._

_Sasuke had an older brother named Itachi and Naruto had a paternal cousin, Yahiko and a maternal cousin, Nagato. These three were in the same age group as her own two cousins and they always hung out together._

_Yahiko's younger sister, Moegi was Hanabi's (Hinata's younger sister) best friend too._

_xXx.-.-.-.-.-.-. _

_Matsuri and Sari were best friends and were close knit with the rest of their circle of friends ever since they were toddlers.  
Both their parents were were important politicians in Suna. They had, however, decided that it was best for Matsuri and Sari to live with the Subaku siblings in Konoha.  
It was difficult at first, but they adjusted and was content with their lives._

_xXx.-.-.-.-.-.-.-. _

_Ino, just like Sakura, was an only child. Her cousin Deidara was her brother figure. He annoyed her, teased her yet in the same time he still loved her.  
Deidara nii-san was Sasori's best friend even though they constantly bicker at each other. He was also close with Itachi, Yahiko, Nagato and Konan._

_Being the one and only, Ino was spoilt by her father. He was a famous interrogator in Konoha. But then again the Yamanaka Clan was well known for their interrogating teqniques._

_She always got the best and if she needed anything else, all she had to do was ask and she would get it.  
Ino might be spoilt but she is, without a doubt, a loyal friend, an amazing daughter and a respectful girl to anyone else._

_xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx_

_Hinata Hyuuga used to be too shy and lack confidence in herself. But her cousin Neji and the rest of her friends helped her come out of her shell even if only a little._

_At least now she could defend herself when needed and would go beyond limits to protect anyone she loved without the need to even think twice about it._

_Her whole life there was one thing Hinata seeked and it was her father's approval and acknowledgement._

_Little did she know that her father was and always would be proud of her even though he chose not to show it, in order to make her work past her limits._

_xXx-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-xXx_

_The seven girls were contented with their childhood lives, but then came changed. A sorrowful, regretful, painful change. That accident... it changed them, it changed everyone..._

_Their parents had arranged for them to be shifted to England for further education since they thought that the girls wouldn't achieve anything in Konoha if they're... distracted. They had to leave everything behind and start anew in the foreign land.  
_

_Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Matsuri and Sari were 10 year olds while Tenten and Temari were 11 year olds at the time they parted with everyone they loved.  
they left their siblings, cousins, friends and parents._

_ Five years ago... it had been the worse one one their lives so far. But at least they had each other and forever would._

Now,their back, hopeful and eager to re start their lives in Konoha. _Their_ real home...

* * *

**OMG i know this first chapter sucked but i'll try to make the coming chapter more interesting and comprehensible.**

**I suck at this man- but then again this is my first time trying to create a fanfic. It was hard at first not being able to **


	2. Ch2 Dinner Party

_**(II) The Dinner Party.**_

* * *

_**Surround yourself with people who know your worth.  
You don't need too many to be happy.  
Just a few real ones who appreciates you  
For exactly who you are**_

_-All 7 Girls-_

* * *

_The joyous group continued conversing about what went on in their lives over the past five years as they rode home in Hiashi-sama's glamorous limo._

_However, soon enough the teenagers' conversations altered from boring old life stories to the upcoming special night._

_They'd found out that their parents had planned a "welcome back" formal dinner party to rejoice and celebrate the girls' return._

_It would take place at the Hyuuga compound. Considering the innumerable close friends, families and relatives that would be attending, it seems that these 7 astounding girls had been missed dearly._

_After being dropped off at their respective houses, everyone hurried to prepare for the forthcoming event. It would indeed be a very special and memorable one._

* * *

_**At the Party:**_

Before long, families and friends began to pour into the mansion, high in spirits. Their chatters, laughter and even some friendly bickering was more rejuvenating than the soothing song playing in the background.

Surprisingly enough, they were easily recognizable, even thought the last the girls have seen them was when they were 10 years old.

First came their Parents came in.  
Hiashi Hyuuga, Fugaku & Mikota Uchiha, Yasou & Hitomi Haruno, Minato Namikaze & Kushina Uzumaki, Shikaku Nara, Choza Akimichi, Inoichi Yamanaka and Tsume Inuzuka. _(Hope you recognize who's whose parent)_

Then in came Sakura with her two cousins, Sasori and Konan. Next Ino strutted in with Deidara and the Subaku siblings and Sari & Matsuri followed suit. Soon Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Kiba's elder sister, Hana arrived as well.  
The Uchiha siblings, Itachi and Sasuke walked through the door after them.

.

xXXx

"Ahh…Sakura!" Mikoto-san pulled the girl into a hug, "You've certainly grown into a fine young woman. Don't you agree Fugaku dear?"  
With a heartwarming smile Sakura hugged her back, "Thank you Mikoto-san, Fugaku-sama" Then she bowed at the calm man in front of her who had nodded his agreement.

"Well what do you know? Little Blossom isn't ...well little, anymore," Itachi cheerfully teased

Laughing now, Sakura turned her attention to a grinning younger Uchiha.  
"What Sasuke? No hug?"

"Hn."  
Shaking her head in mocking disbelief she approached Sasuke , and received the hug she was seeking.

"You're still annoying," Sasuke implied when he let her go. But since Sakura saw the twinkle in his eyes, she just chuckled and let it go.

xXXx

.

Meanwhile Temari was having fun being able to tease Shikamaru again.  
"I see you're still as lazy as ever."

Choji, his mouth stuffed with the chips he was eating, complied. "That will never change Temari-san!"

"Nice to see _you_ too Temari," Shikamaru sighed with sarcasm.

Grinning now, "Aw did I offend lazy ass?."

"Tch. Troublesome women"

Choji and Temari could die laughing. Ino, having over heard their buffoonery, joined in the addictive guffaws.

Looking from Temari to Ino and back again, Shikamaru smirked. His best friend Ino _(his other best friend is Choji)_ and Temari, the girl he was fond of, were indeed 'troublesome' but he still cherished them.  
_'Ahh it's good to have them back._'

xXXx

.

At the other end of the room Gaara rolled his eyes. "Bakas"

The two boys in front of him never get tired of pissing each other off, that's for sure.

"**Am not!**" Kankuro and Kiba glared at each other

"_STOP_ copying **me**!" they yelled simultaneously, yet again.

"ME_?__your_ copying _me_!"

"Like I said. Bakas," Gaara pointed out indignantly.

As if in agreement, Kiba's dog Akamaru barked, innocently wagging his tail.

This brightened up the mood and everyone in the room cracked up.

Well, everyone except Sasuke, Neji and Gaara, who smirked instead.

xXXx

.

"AARRGHH! Yahiko nii-san! C'mon! give me a break will ya?"

The yelling broke off every conversations taking place and everyone diverted their attention to a spiky blonde haired, sea-blue eyed Naruto Uzumaki.

He was lightly shoving Yahiko Namikaze, one of his cousin, and a blush was creeping up into his tanned face.

Behing them Moegi, Yahiko's younger sister, was giggling and Naruto's maternal cousin, Nagato Uzumaki was grinning at the others in the room, eyes gleaming with mischief

"What happened?" Kushina looked over at her son and her husband's nephew

Chuckling heartily, Yahiko answered, "Nothing obasan _(aunt)_. Little brother here was wondering out loud whether our cute little lilac still remembers him."

"I WAS NOT!" Naruto yelled sheepishly.

Yahiko glanced over at reddening Hinata and walked over to her.

"Have confidence. He likes you too you know" he whispered as he embraced her and then walked over to his girlfriend Konan who was merrily chatting away with Sasori, Deidara, Itachi and Hana.

As Hinata tried comprehended this in silence, she grew more redder as light began to dawn in her.

Nagato went over to her and ruffled her hair, "Man, you're almost as tall as me now huh?"

But Hinata was interrupted before she could even answer.

"HINATA!How are ya? You do remember me don't you?" Naruto was hugging her ferociously.  
You could say that Hinata was about to faint.

"Y-y-yes Naruto-kun. I- r-remember," Hinata beamed at him and he grinned at her from ear to ear.

As Hiashi observed his daughter and the over energetic boy, his smile widened each second.

_'Well, she'll have her hands full dealing with him.'_ He thought before conversing with Tsume-san again.

* * *

_**During Dinner:**_

_**.  
**_

"Man this food is _better_ than what my mom cooks!"

Said mom threw a piece of bread at Kiba, hitting him straight in the eye.

"MOM! I was just joking!"

"Hmph." Tsume crossed her hands over her chest and everyone in the table was stiffling their laughter.

Naruto, totally oblivious to what happened, was looking around, under and over the table frantically anime style.  
"Where's RAMEN?"

Sakura punched his head, "OW! What was _that_ for Sakura chan?"

"You BAKA! Formal dinner doesn't include ramen!"

"Hn. She's right dobe"

Naruto faced Sasuke, "Hey I'm not a dobe teme!"

"NARUTO! Keep quiet and eat!" Kushina was serious. Naruto coward away and began stuffing his mouth.

'_Man, mom is scarier than Sakura chan!'_

By this time, everyone let out the laughter they were so earnestly holding in..

"N-naruto-kun. Are you Ok?"Hinata was concerned

'_Baka' _ Neji was not impressed

'_The brat never changes_' Temari smirked at the thought

.

Minato cleared his throat and everyone in the room faced him

"So girls, are you excited about starting anew at Konoha high academy?"

.

****"Oh! I know I am!" Matsuri exclaimed earnestly.

_** "**_It'll be nice to experience something new," Tenten pointed out.

"Yeah. Plus it means new friends," Sakura took a bite from her sushi.

"I can't wait to see what I's like," Hinata said meekly

**_"_**I'm lucky they don't force students to wear uniforms," Ino huffed.

"I agree with Ino," Sari nodded.

**_"_**What's it like anyway?" asked Temari as she looked around the table.

**_"_**It's fun really," Moegi assured them

**_"_**Lots of cute boys unlike the guys in this room," Hanabi joked, but the boys were still insulted.

**_"_**HEY!" all of the boys glared mockingly at the little Hyuuga.

"I'm offended little Hanabi," Itachi feigned hurt as he placed his right hand on his chest for effect.

"You mean like Konohamaru, dear Hanabi?" the blue haired Konan laughed when she saw Hanabi blushing a deep red and choked struggled to find an answer. "AHHH! no! no! no!"

"Yea right." Moegi poked her best friend on her shoulder.

**_"_**Hanabi yo-" a certain Hyuuga boy gritted his teeth

**_"_**Oh Neji. Calm down. She's growing up too you know." Tenten smacked the prodigy on the head.

**_"_**Yea un. She's also a pretty girl," Deidara said as he used his chopsticks to point at Hanabi

**_"_**Says the one who _looks_ like a girl," Sasori grunted.

**_"_**I say that guy Naruto calls Bushy brow is weirder," chuckled Yahiko.

**_"_**EW! Bushy eye brows?" Ino's eyes widened and showed anthipathy

**_"_**Lee is always so full of YOUTHFULL ENERGY. Shino is the weirdest. Always so quiet and face covered up," Naruto said between mouthfuls of food.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke obviously agreed.

"HEY! Shino is cool ok," exclaimed a skeptic Hana.

"Hana," Itachi knitted his brows at the girl, "You're weird…"

Hana stuck her tongue out childishly at the Uchiha, "Well so are you."

**_"_**Whose class is the 'youthful' guy in?" Temari asked, face showing clear mischief.

"He's a junior like me and Neji," Her brother, Kankuro, answered her.

Choji gulped down his food before speaking up, "He'll be in your class then Temari-san."

**_"_**Oh really. Can't wait to meet _bushy brow_ then," declared a grinning female Subaku.

**_"_**Tch. Troublesome women," Shikamaru frowned at the girl.

Kiba patted his lazy friend's back as he spoke, "Chill dude. She won't do anything harsh."

**_"_**I dunno about that Kiba…" Hinata mused

**_"_**Yea, I mean Temari is … " Matsuri wrinkled her nose as if thinking of a suitable word to complete her sentence.

"Challenging," Sari finished it for her.

"Hn. They're right you know," Gaara said, crossing his arms on his chest.

Moegi laughed and quirked a brow, "I'm guessing I wouldn't want to know what she's gonna do then?

"You got that right sissy," Nagato replied.

**_"_**Nah- It'll be fun," Sakura disagreed playfully.

Tenten grinned and Hinata shook her head, "I have have a bad feeling about this."

Naruto nudged the girl on her shoulder and said, "Aww- I'll protect you Hinata. Dattebayo!"

Neji glared daggers at the blonde boy and spoke with a a deadly voice, "Naruto. Get. _Away_. From. Her."

.

Naruto slowly shrank away.  
Hell, Neji is far scarier than his mom and Sakura put together. That guy seriously has some issues.

.

Kushina laughed at the sight of her son, "You're just like your father!"

Mikoto and Hitomi giggled before simultaneously saying, "Kushina's right!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Minato looked so confused with his brows furrowing.

"You used to run away from Kushina's big brother Udanato," Choza reminisced as he stared up at the ceiling.

"My dad?" Nagato asked, gaining interest in the conversation.

"He's over protective of your aunt, that's for sure," Tsume informed the red headed teen as he looked at him.

**_"_**Just like Neji right now," Hiashi pointed out with a smirk.

Neji just grunted and turned away in annoyance.

**_"_**Minato was the dobe in our generation," Fugaku suddenly said, his face showing no emotion.

"Heh. Troublesome pair they were. Minato and Udanato..." Shikaku was clearly amused by the current jive.

**_"_**History repeats itself huh?" Yasou smirked at his friends and the kids.

Minato looked so embarassed and flushed. "I was not afraid or Udanato!"

**_"_**Baka! You were and you still are." Hitomi bonked him on the head, just like Sakura does to Naruto. The teenagers raised their brows at the scene in front of them. It reminded them of themselves.

**_"_**heh. Our childhood really was something," Inoichi finally spoke up, "Unforgettable..."

_**"Agreed!"** _Their parents yelled in unison as they clanked their glasses together.

.

* * *

_**Man i hope this wasn't as boring as i thought it was. It didn't come out like i wanted it to, but, at least i did something.**_

_**Give me feed backs and/or suggestions for improvements.  
**_

Hope you enjoyed this.

-S98-


	3. Ch3 Truth or Dare

_**(III) Truth or Dare.**_

* * *

_**We didn't realize that**__**  
**__**We were making memories**__**  
**__**All we thought about**__**  
**__**Was having fun**__**  
**__-The Girls-_

_._

* * *

The girls had arrived with only a week of summer vacation left, so the 23 teens spent it wisely, shopping for school supplies and of course, new clothes.  
It had been fun, spending time together and getting the hang of things again.

On the last day of vacation, the day before school, the girls of the group planned a sleepover at Sakura's mansion.  
It was the ideal place considering Sasori was staying over at Ino's house to help Deidara complete the project he inconveniently forgot about. Thus, leaving the Haruno residence boy free, with Sakura's dad as the only exception.

"_Come one guys! A little all-girls time is __**exactly**__ what we need!"_ Ino had said

And boy was she right. It was the most fun they'd had the whole week.

* * *

_**That night:**_

_**.**_

"All right! Time for truth or dare!" Moegi plopped down on the bed after watching a movie.

The rest of the girls arranged themselves into a circle, so that all of them would be at sight of each other.

"Me first!" Sari declared, "Tenten. Truth or dare?"

Tenten eyed Sari suspiciously and said,"Truth."

"Hmm… Is dating _Neji _within your realm of possibilities?"

A wide eyed TenTen stuttered, "N-n-no! Of course not. Best friend remember?"

"But Neji nii-san sees _you_ as a 'could be' girlfriend," Hanabi pointed out

Hinata had vigorously nodded her agreement to Hanabi's uexpected statement.

Tenten's cheeks were burning red at this point. The rest of them just giggled at the sight. Tenten rarely ever blushed.

.

"Alright my turn," Ino's eyes landed on Matsuri, who quirked an eyebrow in return.

"I choose truth Ino." Matsuri said indignantly.

"Ok. So… How hot do you think Gaara is?"

Sighing, Matsuri took a peek at the said boy's sister and reluctantly gave an answer. "I- thinkhe'stotallyandcompletelyhot"

.

Temari laughed at the timid girl sitting in front of her. She liked Matsuri, after all, it was her who had bothered enough to really get to know Gaara and made him open up even if only a little. It wasn't an easy thing to do considering Gaara always kept to himself and was often cold hearted in the past. Heck, even now she didn't know her own baby brother as much as Matsuri did.

.

Matsuri perked up when she realized Temari didn't really mind that she described Gaara as a 'really hot guy'

She turned her attention to an orange haired girl. "So Moegi, T or D?"

"Dare."

"Fine. I dare you prank call Itachi."

Moegi quickly grabbed the nearest phone and dialed Itachi's number.

_One ring__  
__Two rings_

"_hello?"_

"_Police Station calling. You, young man, have caused major havoc in town. I, therefore, ask you to come down here to the station if you want to clear your name!"_

"_Hn. Well, you and the girls can handle that. Right little Moegi?,"_

_She imagined Itachi smirking at the other end of the phone. _"_Wha- How'd you know it was me nii-san?"_

"_It's called caller ID little one. You should try it." And with that he had cut the line._

The rest of the girls were rolling over and tears of laughter was engulfing their eyes.

Moegi looked at the phone in her hand and realization dawned on her. She was holding _her_ own phone. Man did she feel stupid.

"Hmph! Smart ass," Moegi muttered as she crossed her hands over her chest.

"It's alright Moegi. He isn't called a genius for nothing." Sakura patted her back.

.

Calming down her laughter, Temari spoke up. "Your turn Hinata?"

"Dare me." Said girl was feeling courageous tonight.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Temari stated smirking mischievously,"I dare you to give Naruto a good morning kiss on the cheek tomorrow."

"Wha- N-n-no! T-temari I-I-I c-can't" And now her timid self over took her again.

"Live a little will you Hina-chan," Temari sighed, "Besides you'd have to make a move sooner or later."

Hanabi nodded, "Yeah nee-chan. You've had a crush on him since _forever_"

"Agreed!" yelled an eager Ino, Sakura, Hana and Tenten.

"One would think you'd get over him while you were in England." Konan said

"Let alone the fact it's been 5 years," Hana mentioned. Matsuri and Moegi aprroved

"But you didn't now, did you?" Sari asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.

Thinking about what her friends told her and knowing they were right, Hinata groaned and reluctantly agreed to do the dare.

"We'll be watching Hinata. Remember that," Ino mock-warned her.

.

"Yeah, I hear you. So…?" Hinata was eager to end the current conversation, " Sari?"

"I think I'd settle with Truth."

"Out of all the boys in our group, who'd you miss the most and why?"

"That's easy. Kankuro, simply because he's the boy I'm closest with." Sari answered without any hesistation.

Konan inspected the younger girl and just shrugged when she realized, the said girl was simply telling the truth. No indications of having feelings for the said boy.

.

"Whose turn is it now?" Tenten inquired.

"It's my turn to ask…" Sari looked around the room, searching for a suitable person, "Hana!"

Kiba's sister chuckled, "Ok so. Truth for me."

"Who's Shino and why do you like him?"The younger girl was eager to know, she could tell.

The girls watched as Hana's facial expressions changed from shocked to sad to happy to determined and finally to curious.

"What makes you think I like him?" Hana was trying to avoid the question altogether, but unfortunately for her, her friends were on a completely different page.

"Hmm… Let's see. You defended him during the dinner party when Naruto called him weird?" Ino suggested.

'_There's no way she can avoid the question now. Might as well comply and get it over with,'_ Hana thought.

Sighing, Hana answered, "I like him alright. He doesn't talk much. Scratch that, he _never_ talks and he's always wearing dark sun glasses no matter where he is. _Always_"

She looked at the girls and they nodded, encouraging her to go on.

"He's fond of insects, just like I'm fond of dogs. People call him weird but I think he's cool in his own way."

Ino clasped her hands and spoke in a dreamy tone, "You don't '_like'_ him. You **love **him!"

Sakura scoffed, "Just coz she thinks differently about him doesn't mean she loves him."

"Whatever forehead," Ino dismissed her, "I still think she's in love."

"Ino-pig!"

"Billboard brow."

"Fat ass."

Tenten rolled her eyes at the two bickering girls. "Knock it off you guys."

To her annoyance she was ignored. Heck, she bets she wasn't even heard. Knowing the two girls wouldn't comply, the rest of them continued with the game.

.

"Truth or Dare Hanabi?" Hana asked

"I'm no coward," said Hanabi, placing a hand on her hips, "Dare me."

The elder girl's eyes glinted with frolic. "I dare you to call your crush and tell whoever he is that you love him"

"Pfft. Easy-peasy lemon squeezy." Hanabi grabbed her phone and dialed.

Hinata's brows rose in disbelief and sudden interest as she looked at her younger sister pacing up and down the room whilst awating an answer at the other end of the line.

_One ring__  
__Two rings__  
__Three rings_

"_Konohamaru here, what's up?"_

_Hanabi stopped pacing and fidgeted instead, getting more and more nervous by the second." Hey. I- uh- just… umm c-calledtosaythatIloveyou."_

And without even waiting for an answer, Hanabi cut the line and screamed her head off.

Ino ans Sakura stopped quibbling and looked over at the screaming Hyuuga.

"What happened?"Sakura asked, oblivious to what had just happened

"She called Konohamaru and told him she loves him," Moegi explained

"Wow. So much for not being a coward," Temari wondered out loud

"I guess Hyuugas find it hard to admit they love someone," Tenten implied.

Matsuri giggled, "That would mean Neji can't admit he loves you too."

Even though it was an impossible thing, Tenten still reddened at the thought of Neji loving her.

.

"So .Who's left?" Sari diverted the other's attention from Tenten to her. The said girl heaved a sigh of relief and sheepishly beamed her thanks to the younger girl.

"Konan, Temari, Ino and me," Sakura guessed.

"Sakura onee-chan. What'll it be then?" Hanabi asked her

The said girl thought about it for a second or two before giving her answer. "Hell, I'll keep my chances with truth"

"From the boys in our group, with the exception of Sasuke, _who_ would you date?"

"I never really thought of dating any of the boys in our group," Sakura said deep in her thoughts.

"You have to answer either way," Moegi told her.

.

_***Cha! What about Neji?***_

_*No way! Neji is a brother figure.*_

_***Naruto then?***_

_*That's gonna offend Hinata inner!*_

_***Kiba? Kankuro? Shikamaru?***_

_*Not my type. Too weird & too lazy.*_

_***Tsk. You complain too much.***_

_*So do you. You're me!*_

_*__**Whatever. So, other options?***_

_*That leaves…*_

"Maybe Gaara?" Sakura answered dubiously, snapping out of her inner feud.

Hanabi wasn't content with the answer but accepted it all the same. After that, Sakura pointed her index finger at Konan with a cheeky smile.

"Nee-chan! What's _your_ choice?"

"heh- Give me the best dare you've got," the blue haired challenged the pink haired.

.

"Cha! I dare you to tell us how many times you've done_ 'it'_ with Yahiko."

Konan's eyes bulged out of it sockets and her cheeks flamed red. She definitely didn't expect _that _question. It was embarrassing to answer and the fact that the room fell silent to hear her out didn't help at all.

"I- well, w-we-" Konan squirmed and floor had suddenly become really interesting.

"Well?"

"C'mon we're all girls here nee-chan."

"We won't tell a soul"

"Cross our hearts."

"Besides sex is a normal thing to do."

Konan didn't really know who was telling what but it still gave her enough courage to mumble a barely apprehensible answer.

"Twice."

.

The girls' jaws dropped, eyes widened and were speechless. They were indeed in great shock. Even though Sakura had asked such a thing, she was just jesting around and every single one of them had been expecting her to say Zero. Nada. Not even once. Never happened.  
After all Konan was the first one of them to get a purity ring.

At the thought of purity ring, the girls glanced at Konan's hands.  
No ring.

"..."

"You must really love him…"

"Yeah. After all you gave up your _virginity_."

"Man, he better take good care of you. _Or else_."

"That was _really_ not what I expected."

"_No way_…"

.

"You had sex with my _brother?_" Moegi shuddered at the thought.

Konan looked up from the floor and scoffed in disbelief.

"No offence. After all he _**is**_ my _brother_."

Konan threw the nearest pillow she could grab at her boyfriend's little sister, but it ended up hitting Temari instead.  
The said girl then aimed it back at Konan, but ended up smacking Sari square in the face.

Sari swatted both Sakura and Hana by accident during her attempt to throw the pillow at Temari. Ino snagged another pillow and whopped the two giggling Hyuuga siblings. Matsuri laughed and seized yet another pillow. She smashed Tenten's face with it.

"PILLOW FIGHT!"

Feathers from ripped pillows soon littered and floated around the room. Eleven girls were shrieking, jumping on beds, swatting pillows at each other and laughing to their hearts content.

The previous game they were playing slipped away from their minds and they concentrated on trying to smack each other with the pillows they could get hold of.

* * *

**This story officially sucks. It doesn't come out the way i want it too . But heck, I'll continue it and try to make it more interesting.**


	4. CH4 First day mania

_**(IV) First Day Mania.**_

* * *

_**I always knew I would look back  
At the times I cried, and laugh  
but I never knew  
I'd look back at the times I laughed,  
to cry.**_

_-7 Charms-_

* * *

**Hinata POV:**

I am _so _not going to allow Temari to get away with this. I _will_ get pay back for this. I don't care _how_ and I don't care_ when_, but she _will_ pay. I swear it on my life!

_***Who are you kidding?*  
**__*Huh? What do you mean inner?*__**  
*you don't have the heart to. You wouldn't pay her back.*  
**__*-sigh- you're right. I wouldn't …*_

It was the first day of school and everything was going great or at least it was until Temari had to ruin it by bringing _that _subject up. And now I'm here in one of the toilet stalls of the girls' washroom trying to calm my racing heart and hoping to shake the memory away. Ino, Sakura, Sari, Tenten, Temari and Matsuri are knocking on my stall door, trying to persuade me to come out of the 'damned' stall.

I sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that day and step out of the stall only to be engulfed into a huge bear hug by the girls. Half-heartedly, I laughed. After reassuring them, fixing our clothes and hair, we walked to homeroom together along with Sasuke and Gaara who happened to be waiting for us by the washroom door. As the girls chattered away, I zoned out and thought about what happened in the morning. Again. For the nth time.

_**Flashbacks:**_

Despite the fact that we slept late due to the sleep over, the eleven of us managed to wake up early and meet up with the boys in school at our rendezvous point, which happened to be the front gates of KHA.  
We got down from the limo and greeted them, differently with each person. Some hugged, some merely said good morning and others were being playful as usual (not in a bad way). And Naruto yelled his greetings to everyone, which was just stupid yet so cute in the same time.  
It's stupid because there were 23 of us altogether and our large group is already drawing attention. His yelling only increased it.

I caught a glimpse of Konan kissing Yahiko and then I remembered. Crap. I shivered inwardly.

'I _really _hope they don't reme-'  
Someone cleared their throat. It sounded like Temari. I glanced over my shoulder at her and she spoke.

"Hinata. Last Night. Ring a bell?" She smirked in triumph when I sighed and nodded.

Hanabi chuckled at me. "Well, I'd love to stay and watch but me and Moegi have friends to catch up with." She dragged Moegi as she ran into school, both of them yelling their farewells before disappearing in the crowds.

I tore my gaze away from my sister and looked at my feet. Sighing and I slightly shook my head from left to right and back again, still not believing what I'm about to do.

Gathering every ounce of my courage, I walked up to Naruto.

"N-naruto-kun," I swear even I couldn't hear myself. Naruto tore away from the friendly wrestling he was having with Kiba and drew his attention on me.

"Oh. Hey Hina-chan. Wha-" He never got to finish because I chose that exact moment to plant a small kiss on his cheek.  
There was a slight problem though.  
It wasn't his cheek I ended up kissing.  
He just had to turn his head at the _exact_ moment and I ended up giving him a kiss on his lips!

But even so, that wasn't the most embarrassing part.  
_Oh No.  
_Not even the fact that everyone else had fallen silent and that about half the students in school saw it was half as embarrassing.

No. The worst part it we stayed in that position for a couple or more seconds. Lip on lip. Wide eyes locked onto each other. Shock was forbidding any movements.

Someone cleared their throat. I really couldn't be bothered to find out whom. All I was thinking about was that I _kissed_ Naruto.  
I kissed _Naruto.  
_**I KISSED NARUTO!**

I jerked and jumped away from him as fast as I could, muttering my apologies, blushing beet red and feeling as if the whole world is on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry Naruto-kun. It was an accident," I kept repeating.

"I-it's fine Hin-" I didn't let him finish. I couldn't take it anymore. I was so embarrassed about it. I whispered yet another apology and ran.  
I didn't care where, I just ran. I could hear the girls and Naruto calling after me, but I kept on running.

**_-_vVVv_-_**

"Hey! Hinata!" I came out of my day dreams and saw Matsuri snapping her fingers in front of my face.

"Huh? What?" I asked no one in particular looking from Sakura to Ino to Matsuri to Sari, who happened to be standing in a line in front of me. Glancing over to the side and only seeing Gaara and Sasuke.

"Where are Tenten and Temari?"

The girls looked at me as if it was the dumbest thing I've ever said.

"They're juniors remember?" Ino was clearly exasperated.  
Sari looked concerned and looked over at Sakura, who nodded as if there was a silent conversation between them.  
"Hinata, Let's just go to homeroom k?" Sakura smiled, but her eyes showed signs of worry and guilt.  
_'Oh great…now they feel guilty, which makes me feel guilty.'_ I thought.

I silently swore to myself that i would act as if nothing is wrong. Even in front of Naruto. I'm not the shy girl anymore. I won't faint and i won't stutter. I'll just be...me. The _new_ me.  
Managing a grin, I nodded my reply to Sakura and Sasuke opened a door that was to my left and stepped inside. I hadn't even realized we were just outside sophomore homeroom (III). The homeroom we'd be in for the rest of the year…

* * *

_**Ino POV:**_

We step into our homeroom and we're already so popular! YAY! I am sure as hell going to _love_ this school!

NOT!

The boys are staring at us girls and talking amongst themselves. I could some of them say 'they're _hot_' or 'cute' or 'sexy'.  
I just rolled my eyes in annoyance and took a quick note of the girls' fashion in this school as me and the others went over to a yelling Naruto. Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and some other creepy guy wearing dark sun glasses, were sitting next to him. _'Guess Naruto claimed the whole middle row. So,that'll mean we'll be sitting there for the rest of the year.'_ I thought to myself.

While I observed the girls, I noticed that a bunch of them were glaring at us, most were staring wide-eyed and drooling at Sasuke-kun and Gaara-san and the rest just sat there as if they didn't care.

Ok, so maybe we didn't get on the right boat with the other girls.

"Hey forehead, did you notice the girls glaring at us?" I whispered to Sakura

"Yeah pig. See the others drooling at Sasuke and Gaara?"

Sari overheard us and answered, "Must be fan-girls"

Hinata sighed, "They've certainly increased since the last time we've been here in Japan."

Matsuri giggled, "And it seems as if every single one of the guys, even Naruto and Choji, have fan girls now."

Jolting with disbelief, I abruptly stopped in my track and surveyed my surrounding. I noticed the rest of the girls, except Matsuri, doing the same.

"_No. Way."_ Sakura breathed.

Not being able to form any words, I just nodded my agreement and then saw Hinata's jaw drop and Sari scrutinizing our guy friends.

"Well, can't blame them," I told them, "our friends _are_ cute, hot _and_ kind."

Matsuri laughed, "You make it sound like they're perfect."

"But we know them well, we know their flaws," Hinata stated evilly.

"_Cha!_ Of course!" Sakura didn't rock the boat. _(Means she agreed)_

"Hey! Ino! Hinata! You and the girls just gonna stand there or what?" Kiba hollered at us.

"Huh?" I narrow my eyes at Kiba, "_What_ are you talking about Kiba?"

Choji stopped munching his chips to answer, "You guys have been standing there gawking for quite a while."

"_WHAT?"_ the 7 of us asked simultaneously. I was not amused. At all.

"What a drag," Shikamaru yawned, "Will you guys just sit already?"

I grunted and scoffed, waiting until the other girls took their seats. As I waited, I heard the whole class murmuring yet again amongst them. I could only apprehend them saying things like '_who are they?'_ or _'they know each other?'_ or '_who do they think they are!'. _The last one obviously came from a jealous fan girl. I sighed and looked around and noticed the only seat left was the one by the window, next to Kiba.

'_I guess i have no choice,' _I told myself and then went over and sat at 'my' seat. Sure, Kiba and I have known each other since we were toddlers, but we weren't exactly close knit. In fact, before going to U.K I was only close with Shikamaru, Choji and Sakura. I got to know and enjoy being with the other girls during our five years together and we became inseparable ever since.

Kiba is a cool guy. I guess.  
There was an awkward silence dragging on. Our homeroom teacher seems to be running late and the students don't even care. Just great. NOT.  
I don't know why but I kept nagging my brain for something to say. It was like I was itching to _talk_ to Kiba. After what seemed like hours of thinking I remembered Akamaru, his cute little doggie! OK so Akamaru is not little. He's actually humungous, but whatever he's still the best _and_ cutest dog _ever_.

_***Even Hinata is not having any trouble talking with Naruto!*  
**__*I know! So shut up*  
__***She kissed him by accident & still acts like nothing is wrong.*  
**__*I told you… I KNOW!*_**  
**_***Say something already you dufus!***_**  
***_Like what inner?*  
__***Akamaru duh!***_**  
**_*Oh…right*_

"Hey Kiba! How's Akamaru doing?" I asked, looking over to face him.

Kiba grinned at me, "He's fine Ino. Just yesterday he helped this lost kid find her mom."

"Oh my god! No way. You're kidding me right?" Yeah I faked disbelief. I even clasped my mouth to exaggerate it. But hey, at least it was a start of our conversation. Ok may be more like argument, but who cares. It _was_ something.

* * *

_**Temari POV:**_

We reached our homeroom just as the bell rang for the last time. We opened the door and **BAM!** This weird, bushy browed, green spandex-wearing guy with a bowl cut was standing in front of the teacher's table. He was facing the students, left hand on his hip, right arm outstretched in front of him with the hand in a thumbs-up form. He was grinning like there was no tomorrow and you can hear a slight '_PING_' when he shows off his pearly teeth.  
Yeah the guy is definitely weird.

"Uh… Neji? Who's that?" Tenten the stoic Hyuuga standing next to her. If you've known him for as long as I have, you'll notice his brows have furrowed even if only a little. But seriously, only Tenten can actually understand him. It's great to know that the three stoic idiots of our group has at least one person who understands and tolerates them. That includes my baby brother, Gaara.

"Hn."

I sweat-dropped. Anime style. I noticed Tenten frowning. '_Nice answer Neji, nice answer_.'

"Well little brother? Hana?" I faced the two said people

"He's Guy-sensei," Hana meekly replied, not facing me and went to sit next to this other spandex wearing boy. Man, from the bowl hair cut to bushy eye brows to the clothes he wear, I'd say he's the littler version of our crazy homeroom teacher.

'_So he's bushy brow huh?' I smirked inwardly._

"NEJI! KANKURO!" the bushy browed freak called out waving both his hands furiously over his head. The rest of the class looked at the door, where we were standing, including our would-be-homeroom teacher.

"AH! Welcome young ones!," he grinned, "I see we have two new youthful students!"

"Err- umm… h-hi?" Tenten stuttered scratching the back of her neck. I guess she didn't know how to react. Then again no sane person would if they were in our situation.

"Come in and introduce your selves," he told us then looked at the two boys besides us, "Thank you for bringing them here. You may sit at your seats now."  
Neji and Kankuro went in and sat down in the seats besides Hana and that freaky boy. Me and Tenten went over at the front of the class to 'introduce' our selves. I was waiting for Tenten to start her introduction, but when she didn't I glimpsed at her and saw her giving a look at me. A look that says 'you-better-start-or-_else_.'

I sighed and nodded to show her I understood. "Hey. I'm Temari Subaku, Elder sister of Kankuro and Gaara Subaku. I and Tenten here, along with 5 of our friends, just came back from U.K after 5 years."

I let Tenten proceed from there. "I'm Tenten, like she said. Me and my friends have known each other since we were kids. We've also known Sasuke, Neji, Shikamaru, Naruto, Hana, Sasori and a few others from this school."

You can bet there were a lot of whisperings and shrieks of disbelief from the students in class.

"No way! They're saying they know the popular group of this school?"

"What liars! There's

* * *

no way Neji-kun will be close with _them_!"

"Sasuke Uchiha? Neji Hyuuga? _They_ know _them_?"

"Kankuro's _sister?_"

I shook my head and sighed. Tenten grunted then whispered to me, "Guess our friends are really 'popular' here."

"Ha! They forgot to tell us about the increase of fan girls," I muttered, "Even my brother has them now."

Tenten rolled her eyes, "Neji will feel my wrath if his fan girls attack us like when we were kids."

I smirked, remembering back then. "Sakura will have a lot of practice punches then."

"All right. Settle down kids," Guy-sensei motioned the class to keep quiet, "You girls can go sit anywhere you want to."

"Sis! Come on!" Kankuro gestured for us to come over, so we did. That's when we met Lee, the so called youthful student. Him and our homeroom teacher is weird, but i seriously am starting to like them. They're not half bad once you start getting to know them. I have to admit, they are fun too.

* * *

_**Hanabi POV:**_

_***Girl, you're definitely in trouble now.*  
**__*Oh shut up and just help me inner!*  
__***Hey! What happened to 'be nice'?***__  
*_Please_ inner! I'm begging you!*  
__***Alright alright. I'll help.*  
***__Ok. So what do I say?*  
__***I don't know either…***_

I groaned. Seriously what's the use of having an inner if they can't help you get out of trouble? Ok, so I'm in trouble cause of my own fault. It's just simply haunting me back. Groaning again I curse whoever gave me that _stupid_ dare (I don't remember who it was). I hate myself for both asking _and_ accepting the dare in the first place. If I hadn't, I wouldn't _be_ in this mess.

"Hanabi! Are you even listening to me?" Konohamaru snapped me out of my thoughts.

"Huh? Oh Uh yeah…umm I err am," I focused again on what he was talking about.

"So as I was saying," Konohamaru chatted away again, "I desperately_ need_ to find out who that girl was."

Udon, our friend, yawned, "Eh, Kono, why are you trying so hard just to find out who this girl is?"

"Yeah, I mean there's loads of girls out there," Moegi hastily agreed, trying to change the subject for her friend's sake.

I mouthed my thanks to her and she curled the corners of her lips into a smile.

"Anou. It's not every day a girl calls you and admits her love to you," Konohamaru stared at the ceiling, "I guess you can say I was… glad."

I could see his eyes gleaming in happiness. He really wants to know…  
But I can't just tell him that it was me. No matter how much I want to. It'll just ruin our friendship and I do not want that. I'd rather keep him as a friend than nothing at all.

"I won't give up. I'll find out one way or another," Konohamaru sounded sincere and intent on doing so. He then turned away to find a seat.

I sighed sadly. _I just can't tell him._

Someone place a hand on my left shoulder. It was Udon.

"Don't worry," he said, "Tell him when you're ready."

"Wha- H-how?" My mouth dropped to the floor. I can't believe him. He knew! He knew it was me. He knew I was the girl that called Kono-kun.

"I've known you for years Hanabi," He simply stated, "Just by reading you're reactions, anyone close to you could tell."

"Mh-hm. Kono is just plain dense," Moegi added and glanced over at Kono-kun, "Or rather, love struck at the moment."

She giggled. Udon gazed at her. I could see the fondness he had for my best friend. I could sense the love as they walked to their seats.

'_Is that what true love is?' _I asked myself, but of course I didn't know the answer.

Smiling, I thought about how Udon is a lazy genius, just like Shikamaru-san. Sometime I wonder if they're related. Udon wore glasses, but he's quite a catch. Stunning looks, kind and loving. Moegi and he would make a cute couple, _if_ Moegi realizes Udon likes her. She's as dense as her cousin, Naruto, when it comes to her own love life. Good thing Yahiko-san wasn't. Konan and Yahiko are in love, even though they are a weird match.

_*Love is certainly weird*  
__***Heh. Tell me about it.*  
**__*Our group of friends and family itself…*  
__***…has a lot of possible romances*  
***__Yeah, Having known each other for so long is a plus.*  
__***So you gonna tell him…?*  
***__I …don't know inner…*  
__***You should…before it too late*  
*…***_

Snapping out of the talk with my inner, I look over at Anaya, an annoying fan girl of Konohamaru, who swore her heart to him thought he declined. She's still trying though… always trying…

"I know inner, I know…" I whispered to myself as I sighed and walked over to my seat.

* * *

_**Itachi POV:**_

You know, it's been years since I've been mesmerized by a girl. I distinctly remember, the first and only time it happened was when I was 13. Her name was Yukiiyo. It didn't work out. She left town before I could even tell her, but, she was a sweet and a loving friend. I got over her a few years ago and ever since I proudly say I never eyed another girl. So I guess you can say I've never had a girl friend.

And I don't know what's more annoying. Tobi and his 'good boy' act, Kakazu's addictiveness to money, Deidara's and Sasori's arguments about art, Kisame's fondness for sharks and fights … or this girl.

This new girl annoyed me. The reason you may ask? It's because she took my breath away. It's annoying how she is making me fall for her when I hadn't even spoken a word with her. My emotionless demeanor threatens to break apart just because of her presence.

But this said girl…  
She's different. I can feel it, even though I don't even know her. Yet. That waist-length auburn hair, it's… beautiful, her smile, she's … _cute_.

_*ARGH! What am I thinking!*  
__***you like her…*  
**__*No! I don't!*  
__***Yes, you do.*  
**__*ARGH! Damn you!*  
__***Cursing yourself boy.***_

'_Tch. My own inner is as annoying as the things I listed' I thought to myself. _I might have been having turmoil in my head but on the outside, I was as calm as the wind. No emotions betrayed me. Uchiha's were famous for that.

"Hi! Is this seat taken?" I turned my head to see who was talking, and saw no other than _her_ smiling cheerily at _me._

She continued talking since I didn't answer. I couldn't answer. "Sorry if I disturbed you, but there aren't any other seats avai…"

"Hn." I simply said. If little cherry blossom was here, she would force a real answer out of me. I smiled inwardly at the thought of Sakura. Foolish little brother might be a prodigy, but he doesn't even know he loves the pink haired girl of our 'little' group.

She blinked her eyes in confusion. I turned my head to face our teacher, Baki, and then told her, "You can sit."

"Oh. Well thanks," she said placing her a few books on the table, then her bag on the floor beside her, before finally sitting down, "By the way I'm Chisayi. Nice to meet you…?"

From the corner of my eyes I saw her looking me and her hands extended in front of her as if to shake my hands in greeting.

I ignored the hand and cupped my hands under my chin, still facing the front of the class. "Itachi."

She just raised her brows then sighed. It wasn't as if I meant to be rude, but rather I was afraid… Yeah. Me. Uchiha Itachi. Afraid. Of what, I've no clue.

"Well Itachi, you're not much of a conversationalist are you?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Hn." I said yet again

With another sigh, she took hold of a pencil using her right hand, flipped her head so as to push away the stray strands of hair from her face, then using her left hand she place a sky-blue rimmed glasses on the tip of her nose. Humming, she started writing on her notebook. The tune she humming, I haven't heard anything like it before. It was more soothing and amazing than the lullaby mom used to sing to me as a kid...

I noted all this from the corner of my eyes. I surprised myself about the amount of attention I was paying to her.

'_So cute…' I thought to myself yet gain._

* * *

_**Lunch time: (normal narration)**_

"It's only the first day, and the lunch line is already huge," Naruto complained as he plopped down on the chair next to Hinata. He placed his food tray on the table before speaking up again, "But the ramen is worth it." He grinned his foxy grin, which made Sakura roll her eyes.

Choji got up and said, "Naruto is right. I'm going for a second serving." And with that he walked away to buy his second bowl of ramen.

"Troublesome pair," Shikamaru yawned.

"Naruto and Choji, I shall try this youthful ramen!" Lee exclaimed before running after Choji.

"Hn." Sasuke agreed with Shikamaru, not taking notice of Lee.

Temari and Tenten then chose that moment to pop out of nowhere and occupied two of the available chairs at their lunch table. Everyone was there, except for Hanabi, Moegi, Konan, Deidara, Yahiko, Itachi, Nagato and Sasori. They sat with their own friends, so as to not crowd up in one table.

"Hey guys, you signing up for the Nin-training after school?" Tenten asked no one in particular.

"What?" Ino and Hinata asked simultaneously.

Matsuri spoke up, "I heard rumors about it. You learn self defense, weapon handling, martial arts or something."

Hana nodded, "The rest of our group has been attending it since we started schooling here."

"Believe it!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Yeah, It's actually fun." Kiba added, grinning. Neji frowned, as if in disagreement.

"Troublesome."

Kankuro and Gaara looked at each other before Kankuro spoke up, "But, you girls don't even have fighting skills."

"It's strenuous," Shino pointed out before digging into his pasta once again.

Temari perked up, "Great! I and the girls will join too then!"

"But sis-"Gaara was cut off by Sari.

"No buts. We're joining and its final," Sari pointed out indignantly.

"Mh-hm. I know I will, "Sakura agreed between mouthfuls of her sandwich, completely ignoring Kankuro's remark. Sasuke raised a brow at her.

"What?" She asks him but he just shook his head slightly and took a bite from his dango.

Ino's browed furrowed, "I can't believe you guys..."

"You're actually looking down on us," Tenten snarled

"You might be surprised, "Matsuri continued, face full of mischief.

"We've grown too you know," Hinata added.

Naruto vigorously moved his head up and down in agreement, "Hell yeah! You girl grew a lot, dattebayo!"

Sakura bonked him on the head. "OW! What was that for?" Naruto asked while rubbing his head, "Man your punches have gotten more painful…"

"Baka," Sari giggled at the sight of Naruto.

"We're not letting you girls join," Neji said in his monotone voice.

"Why the hell not?" Temari demanded and Tenten looked threateningly at him, "Neji…"

"Well we can't help it if we worry about our little girls," Itachi said as he approached their table with Sasori, Deidara, Konan, Yahiko and Nagato.

Konan grunted, "You boys are just _too_ over protective." Sakura agreed

Sasori eyed his two younger cousins, "Oh really now?"

"We can take care of ourselves," Hana remarked.

"Are you girls sure about joining?" Yahiko asked with concern.

Nagato, seeing discontent on the girls' faces, spoke up, "I'm sure you girls will impress us."

"Tch. Nagato ar…" Itachi started saying but his attention was diverted to the girl walking pass their table, chatting away and laughing with another girl. The others saw which girl Itachi was staring at. The girl wore a short purple hued dress, embroided with forget-me-nots laced around the flowing skirt. She had auburn hair tied into a half pony, her figure and skin looked flawless, the pinkish blush on her cheeks and her smile enlivened her pretty face. It was Chisayi, the new senior girl he sat with in homeroom.

The eldest Uchiha hadn't even realized that he'd been staring at her until he noticed Yahiko snapping his fingers in front of his face. Immediately he awoke from his sudden trance.

"Dude you're drooling," Yahiko stated with a smirk.

Face deceiving no emotion, he crossed his arms on his chest and simply replied, "Hn. Look around. She caught the attention of the whole cafeteria."

And it was indeed the truth. More than half of the boys in the room were either gawking or drooling over her and some of the girls were giving her envious glares. No eyes lingered off of her and her blonde friend as they inserted coins into the vending machine to take two cans of coke and then went and sat over at an empty table, still chattering away.

Sasuke grunted, "True. But she also caught _your_ attention big brother."

Itachi glared at his younger brother, who glared back. Ah. The ever famous Uchiha glare.

"Your brother has a point un," Deidara said, completely oblivious to the furious aura emitting from the two Uchihas

Ino squealed and Sakura grinned mischievously. "Let's go!" Ino dragged Sakura along with her. Itachi noticed that they were headed to Chisayi, the one who he was staring at a couple of seconds ago.

"Uh oh. Itachi you're in trouble…" Kiba looked at his two 'match making' friends as they talked to the senior who had surprisingly taken Itachi's attention. That doesn't happen very often. In fact it only happened once, as far as he remembers.

Everyone at the table watched intently as the two seniors and two sophomores talk and laugh together. Soon enough they saw Sakura pointing over at their table and Chisayi and her friend nodded at something Ino had said. They picked up their cokes and bags and walked over to the others. Itachi gulped. He definitely did not like where this is going.

He was just about to turn and walk away when Sakura's yelling abruptly prevented him from doing so. "Onii-san! Hold up!"

'_Damn I'm screwed.' _Itachi thought before turning on his heels to face the rest of them, only to see a grinning Chisayi right in front of him...

* * *

**_i know this isn't that good..._**


	5. Ch5 Don't Mess With Me

_**(V) Don't Mess With Me.**_

* * *

_**Mess with my friends,  
you mess with me  
Hurt them and then you'll see  
I'll make your life a living hell  
Coz I'd give my life protecting them  
and take yours as well.  
**__-7 Charms-_

* * *

_**Sakura POV:**_

I've been avoiding Itachi ever since the encounter with Chisayi at lunch yesterday. It's not that it went badly… just that he ended up speechless and love struck. It was a picture perfect moment. After all, it's not every day you get to see an Uchiha speechless let alone love struck. Though he would _never_ admit that he was love struck and keep on denying it, anyone who's been close to him since forever would see through his lies.  
Ha! Glad to know mine and Ino's match making practices hadn't gone to waste after all.

Walking through the school corridors, I found myself snickering silently at the memory of what happened at lunch yesterday.

.

_**Flashback.**_

After noticing Itachi practically drooling at the sight of a really stunning senior, I looked over my shoulders at Ino. Instantly she knew what I was thinking and grinning mischievously, she dragged me over to the said senior's table.

"Hi! I'm Ino Yamanaka," said girl introduced herself then pointed at me, "This is Sakura."

The auburn haired girl looked puzzled but smiled genuinely and introduced herself as well. "Chisayi Aikuzo. I'm a new student. This is my best friend, Shizashi."

Shizashi waved slightly, "So what brings you two here?"

"Just wondering if you want to sit with us and our friends?" I said pointing over at our table where miraculously, just a minute ago, 24 of us where gathered in. It looked kind of overcrowded if you ask me. "We're new too. Well kind of. We came back after being in U.K for 5 years."

"You know Itachi right?" Ino asked them both.

Shizashi furrowed her eyebrows. She looked like she was thinking. "You mean the Uchiha?"

"Ah. My 'not-so-much-of-a-conversationalist' seatmate in homeroom?" Chisayi joked, "Yeah I know the mute."

Ino and I burst out laughing at how she described Itachi. "Itachi has always been like that. His brother isn't any better." Ino huffed, placing her hand on her hip.

Still stifling the rest of my laughter, I spoke, "They're not so bad once you get to know them."

"I don't know about that. But, he _is_ cute," Chisayi had a slight blush creeping in her cheeks, "Don't tell him that though."

"I won't," I assured her, "But we've known them our whole lives, trust me on this."

The two elder girls nodded then picked up their coke and bags. "Well then, we'd love to join you," Shizashi smile.

Me and Ino squealed. As we walked back to our table, I noticed Itachi sneaking away and I wasn't about to allow that, so I called out to him. He tensed up, if only a little, and turned around only to face Chisayi who was grinning cheekily at him.

"Hey there Mr. Swanky," Chisayi greeted him. From the corner of my eyes I noticed that Kiba's jaw had dropped. So did Naruto's, Kankuro's and Choji's, who by the way is eating his third serving of ramen. _'This is getting interesting'_ I thought to myself.

"How YOUTHFUL!" Lee screamed with his good guy pose.

Sasori nii-san laughed, which caused Konan nee-chan and Temari to laugh.

"You've got spunk girl," Yahiko complimented her, smirking at Itachi, who glared back.

Sasuke smirked as well and Naruto grinned from ear to ear, "Man, I like you. No girl ever talks to Itachi like that, 'ttebayo!"

It surprised everyone that Hinata bonked him on the head after he said that. "That's rude Naruto!" she had said. It made Tenten laugh along with Yahiko.

"It's a drag but he's telling the truth," Shikamaru yawned and stretched his hands behind his head.

Neji, who usually ignored moments like these, spoke up, "Except the girls in you see around you right now, no other girl acts normal around _the_ Uchihas."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" Chisayi asked as if she wasn't sure.

"Hn." Sasuke said. After all these years, it stills nerves me, so I couldn't help but bonk_ him_ on the head. He glared at me, which made me childishly stick my tongue out at him, "You should know to answer with actual words." This time Itachi smirked triumphantly at Sasuke, who glared back at his elder brother as well.

"He means to say 'Yes, it is.' Right, Sasuke?" I budging Sasuke with my shoulder, waiting for his agreement. "Hn" This time _**I**_ glared at the Uchiha. Unfortunately for me, his glare over powered mine. But that doesn't mean I gave up.

Shizashi laughed, "Well it's nice to meet you guys. I'm Shizashi and this is Chisayi, my best friend."

"We just transferred from Suna High School," Chisayi said and the others introduced themselves. They were glad to meet two _normal_ girls for once. Shizashi and Chisayi were certainly not crazed fan girls.

Itachi was just looking emotionlessly the whole time so far, but I can tell he was sort of dumbfounded and was uncomfortable. He finally opened his mouth to say something, but I sweat dropped anime style at what he said.

"You're different," His voice was monotone. He clearly didn't realize his statement was so obvious and was exactly what Neji and the other were talking about just a couple of seconds ago.

"Huh?" Both Shizashi and Chisayi were confused

"You're not drooling over him and confessing your love or what so ever," Temari tried to clarify their confusion, but their facial expression said otherwise. In fact they looked even more muddled.

Nagato sighed, "Look around you. See the girls staring at us?" They nodded and he continued, "They're fan girls. As you can see, our group keeps to ourselves."

"Main reason is fan girl/ boys. Second is the fact that we find it hard to trust most of them," Konan listed out loud.

Deidara looked at them and said, "Most of them only want to fit in to our '_group_' because we're… different, not because they want to get to know us."

"Different? In what way?" Shizashi asked, her brows furrowing and her eyes squinting in puzzlement.

"You really don't know?" Tenten was surprised. Well in fact so were all of us. All of our parents are known world-wide and here are two girls who don-

_**-_-xXx-_-**_

"HEY! Bitch watch where you're going!"

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I was knocked over by a girl with uneven, red hair. She was wearing slutty clothes which consisted of a long sleeved shirt that showed _a lot_ of cleavage and stomach. Her shorts can't even be considered as shorts seeing as how it looked a lot more like underwear. It was ironic because she wore thick glasses as well.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," I apologized, completely ignoring the fact that she called me a bitch. I bent down to pick up my books that fell during our contact and stood up again soon after.

She scoffed at me. "Bitch, just because you're new here, don't get it in your head to think that you own this school"

"_Excuse_ me?" I asked since I had no clue what this girl was talking about.

"You and your six whores of friends are hanging out with the popular group already," She said, voice clear with disdain, crossing her arms over her chest, "And _you_ looked so clingy to _**my**_ Sasuke-kun!"

I couldn't believe this girl. Who did she think she is?  
"For your information, me and my friends have known the_ 'popular'_ group ever since we were _born_," I sneered at her, placing my hands on either sides of my hips, "As for '_your_' Sasuke. He's one of **my** _best friends"_

"You're an ugly liar, pinky," She jabbed me on my shoulder.

Her jabbing didn't bother me; neither did her calling me ugly. But seriously, her calling me pinky infuriated me. _Nobody_ calls me pinky and lives.

"_**What**_ did you just call me?" I asked, anger rising by the second.

"_**P-I-N-K-Y**__" She repeated, emphasizing each syllable._

_That was it. That was the last straw._

* * *

_**Matsuri POV:**_

_**.**_

When we were little, I remember witnessing, first-hand, the way fan girls would chase after Sasuke, Itachi, Neji and some other boys in our group. But back then, Gaara wasn't one of them. I guess things really have changed since the last time I've been here in Konoha.  
As kids, girls were dead scared of Gaara considering that he was emotionless and cold hearted. But he only seemed that way to strangers. Once you get to know him, he's actually really sweet and kind. There's nothing he wants more than for people to understand him.

Now though, teenage girls seem to think differently about guys who look mysterious as well as dangerous, which is what Gaara looks like to them. I think this is what gained him his innumerable fan girls. And the worst part is that they know _exactly_ how to get on your nerves.

**.-.-.-.-.-**

I was looking at myself in the mirror inside one of the girl's washroom, trying to tie my hair into a pony tail, when these two random girls walked in. I ignored them, but they obviously needed something because one of them leaned on the sink, crossed her arms and cleared her throat.

Sighing I spoke up without taking my eyes off of the mirror in front of me as I brushed my hair with my fingers. "You need something?"

"You're one of the new girls right?" She asked me kindly but you can tell she was faking and through the mirror I saw her force a smile. Standing behind her was her companion, who was awkwardly fiddling with her hair strands.

"Yeah. What about it?" I asked yet again, still not looking at her.

She uncrossed her arms and placed her left hand on my shoulder while the other limped on her side. "I just wanted to warn you. **Stay **_away_ from my Gaara-kun."

Finishing up with my hair, I shrugged off her hand from my shoulder and faced her with a glare. "_Excuse me?"_

Her fake smile was still plastered all over her pasty face. "You just got here and you're already taking up his attention." She turned to the mirror to check if her long, dirty blond curls were perfectly in style. "He's mine so if you don't want trouble," She turned to face me again, "Stay. Away."

Feeling my vein popping on my forehead, I tried calming myself before replying to her, but I still ended up jeering at her. "Look here _Smart Ass_, first of all, don't threaten me. And secondly, I _won't_ stay away just because you tell me to."

"Bitch! You're gonna live in hell," She said, her hands bawling up into fists, "I warned you, but now you'll** regret** ignoring it."

She called me a _bitch?_ I was seething and I knew I had to move away from her before I might do something I'll a_ctually_ regret doing. I would have walked away peacefully if she hadn't said what she said next.

"You and you six friends are nothing but whores!" She was giving me death glares, but I didn't flinch at that. Instead, my anger over came my instincts.

_**SLAP!**_

I couldn't help it. I just _had_ to slap her across her puny little face, which happened to be smothered with make-up. I could handle her swearing at me, but she insulted _my_ friends, and that is something I won't let her get away with.

"Why you little…I'll get you back for that!" She threatened me yet again, her left cheek was red with a hand mark on it. I must have hit her a little too hard, but I didn't care.

"Do anything you want with me," I scrutinized her, "But keep my friends _out_ of this."

And with that I took hold of my bad and I walked out of the toilet, harshly jerking her shoulder with mine on the way. I could practically feel their glares behind me, but I didn't care. All I know was that I hated her and I hated her guts.

* * *

_**Tenten POV:**_

_**.**_

_OOF!_

As we walked into school, I was laughing and chattering away with Hinata about Neji and his morning smugness, when I bumped into a fuming Matsuri. She didn't even notice us let alone say sorry for bumping into us.

I gave Hinata a 'what-the-hell-was-that' look and she shrugged.

"MATSURI! Wait up!" I yelled before running up to her, followed by Hinata who was clutching her books over stomach.

Matsuri turned around to face us. She was glaring, but when it dawned on her that it was just me and Hinata, her glare receded.

"Are you Ok?" Hinata was full of concern. She always is when it comes to her friends.

I noticed Matsuri calming herself by taking deep breaths as she closed her eyes, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Mats, don't hide it. What happened?" I pestered her, but when she didn't answer, I tried again. "You came out of the gir-"

I intended to say girls' bathroom as I looked over at the said bathroom's door. But as I did so, two girls walked out of it, one of whom was having a glaring contest with Matsuri.

Realization dawned on me, "What did _they_ tell you?" I was getting impatient; I kept tapping my left foot on the floor as I waited for a real answer this time.

"Isn't she one of Gaara's fan girls?" Hinata asked her, confused.

Matsuri sighed and nodded. "What did they want?" I asked her yet again.

"She kept telling me to stay away from Gaara because he's hers," Matsuri rolled her eyes and looked eyed me before continuing, "I said no, then she insulted you guys so I got pissed…"

"Mats, please tell me y-." Hinata was saying but Matsuri interrupted her.

"I couldn't help it. I slapped her," she was seething again.

I shook my head sideways slightly. It was only the second day of school and we're being attacked by fan girls just like when we were little.

As I placed my hand on Matsuri's shoulder, Hinata was looking over somewhere and was tensed up. "G-guys… S-s-sakura's in a f-fight!"

She immediately ran over to the crowd gathered around our pink haired friend, along with another red head I've never before seen in my life. Matsuri and I soon followed suite and pushed our way through the crowd and stopped when we were right at the front.

My jaw dropped at what I saw and heard. I couldn't believe it. This day just couldn't get any worse.

"Bitch! Bitch! Pink haired Bitch!" The red haired kept saying. She had blood running down her uneven nose, which I bet, was caused by Sakura.

Sakura was definitely shaking from real hot anger. She was trying to calm herself down, but the red head calling her pinky didn't help at all. Hinata was panicking and Matsuri had her hands clasped over her mouth in shock. I couldn't blame them, after all, Sakura hates it when people call her pinky. It's kind of an insult to her.

"YOU'RE A SLUT PINKY! YOU _AND_ YOUR FRIENDS!" The red head yelled for the whole world to hear. I noticed Sakura raising her hand to punch the girl again. I acted quickly and was about to run to Sakura to prevent her from doing any more harm when someone stepped forward grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled her behind him.

"Sasuke! Let me go!" Sakura said struggling to get away from his grip. He just sighed and looked at me, Hinata and Matsuri. We knew what that look meant so we made our way to Sakura. Matsuri placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and Hinata kept telling her to calm down. I kept quiet and eyed the red head. _MY_ anger was rising.

"Sasuke-kun! Look at what that _bitch_ did to me!" The red headed girl, who was scantily clad, was holding on to Sasuke for dear life. She even spoke in such a fake innocent tone. It nerved me.

'_Tch. Stupid fan girls_.' I grunted to myself. Twice today, my friends were angered by fan girls **twice** today, and school had barely begun yet.

"She's such a slut!" the red headed girl continued puckering her lips at Sasuke who looked like he was on the verge on hurting the girl. To me he looked that way, but any other person who doesn't know Sasuke would see him as calm and emotionless right now. His eyes give him away though. Anger and disgust were clear in them.

I glowered at the sight of the red head and took a step forward to give her a piece of my mind, but I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Tenten, don't…"

It was Neji. I didn't need to turn around to look, I was sure it was him. I sighed, my anger receding by the second from his touch. Weird, but Neji had always had a way of keeping _me_ calm, no matter what mood I am, even if I'm boiling with rage.

"She's insul-." I began saying when I turned to face him, but he shook his head, clearly meaning he's disapproving.

"Sasuke will handle it," He said and as if on cue, Sasuke scowled at the read headed girl who wouldn't let go of him.

"_Karin…_" I shivered at Sasuke's menacing tone. I even noticed Hinata tensing up even more and Sakura gasped silently and looked up at Sasuke and the red headed girl named Karin. Matsuri made eye contact with me and I knew at once that we were thinking the same thing. Sasuke being mad at the girl would only make things worse. We knew it from previous… _experiences._

Sasuke removed her hands from his body and continued in his menacing tone, "Her name is _Sakura._ Call her or any one of my friends a bitch…_You'll face me_."

And with that Sasuke grabbed Sakura and half dragged her towards their home room. Hinata and Matsuri bid me and Neji farewell before following the two. I sighed as the crowd dispersed, murmuring amongst themselves. I can bet on my life that there will be rumors about this incident soon enough.

"Stupid bitch!" Karin whispered to herself but I clearly heard her. Before knowing what I was doing, I had banged her onto one of the lockers in the corridor, "_**Stay**__. Away _from Sakura, you understand?" I was seething. _No one. _No one messes with my friends and gets away with it. Not if I have something to do about it.

She couldn't reply since I was crushing her throat with my right arm. Neji reacted as fast as me and pulled me away from Karin as soon as soon as I ended my threat.

"Tenten! Come on!" Neji was exasperated, "She's not worth it." We both turned and began walking away, Neji's reassuring hand still on my shoulder. The girl, Karin, really should know when to stop her annoying comments. Or else it could be the end of her.

"Cowards…" she whispered yet again, but I kept quiet and continued walking, bottling up my rage.

I heard her scoff, "Cowardly bitches."

I still ignored her, but Neji didn't. He glared at her from over his shoulder after abruptly stopping. His right hand was bawling into fists. Karin whimpered at the ever so famous Hyuuga deadly glare. Then she huffed and walked the opposite direction just as the bell for first period rang. We missed homeroom. Just great. Last thing I needed right now was detention.

Neji didn't say anything. Instead he pulled me along, heading to Kurenai sensei's classroom since we both have English. I had no choice but to comply and let him drag me after him.

* * *

_**Sari POV:**_

_**.**_

"Yo!Yo!Yo! Welcome to music. I'm your sensei, but call me Bee. Here's the trick. Compose a song for me. Now go, go, go!" Our music teacher rapped enthusiastically. The class burst out laughing, not as an insult, but rather because it was our first lesson and we already love our music sensei.

Everyone pulled out there music books and began composing. I was sitting beside Ino when she suddenly poked me.

"Huh. What was that for?" I turned towards her and saw her worried face, "Hey what's wrong?"

"Where are the others? They're supposed to be in this class with us," She said, frantically looking around.

I thought for a moment before answering her, "Come to think of it, they weren't there for homeroom either. Neither was Sasuke. And that's telling something."

"Did something ba-," Ino began saying but was interrupted.

_**BAM!**_

The classroom door shot open and everyone turned their heads only to see a stoic Sasuke barge in, dragging a struggling Sakura behind him. Hinata and Matsuri soon stumbled in after them.

"Sorry sensei! We got…" Hinata apologized but struggled to find the right words to complete her sentence. Giving up she looked over to Matsuri for help

"We got held up. Small problem," She nervously said, "No worries though. Right guys?" She looked over from Hinata to Sasuke to Sakura.

"Hmph" Sakura grunted crossing her arms

"Hn." Sasuke acted as if he didn't even care.

Hinata laughed weakly. If I knew better I'd say she was troubled by something. So were my other friends. I made eyed contact with Ino and she nodded. I knew it! Ino was right, something bad did happen. Now to find out what…

"Alright, alright., you new girls sing a _song_ for me and I'll let it be. Now hurry along yo!" Bee sensei rapped yet again. Sakura brightened up.

Sasuke sat down at an empty seat while Hinata went over to the organ and Matsuri grabbed a guitar, strapping it over her left shoulder. Sakura motioned for me and Ino to join them before taking her place in front of the microphone. Ino found another microphone and stood beside Sakura and I took my place by the drum kit. I wasn't as good as Tenten but I can still play it.

"1, 2, 3, 4!" I counted and Hinata, Matsuri and I began playing our instruments.

"_**I like to be around you  
When you're not trying to be somebody**__**  
And I like to hang with you**__**  
Talk about whatever we talk about," Sakura sang in time with the music**_

"_**I don't care where we go**__**  
what we do  
who you know  
what you wear**__**  
or if your hair is blue or purple or pink," Ino sang after Sakura, clearly having fun and forgetting about their audience.**_

"_**You don't have to be cool  
Don't have to be smart**__**  
Don't need to know anything all the time  
Its alright if you're a little bit out of it  
I don't care I just wanna be your friend," Both Sakura and Ino sang, smiling, in tune and dancing along to the rhythm**_

I looked over at Matsuri and Hinata, who seemed to be enjoying themselves as well. I guess they forgot about whatever it was that was troubling them just a moment ago. Smiling, I relaxed into the music and Ino and Sakura continued singing the song we composed for a talent show in our previous school. Looking around the class, I could tell that our sensei was impressed, our classmates were bopping their heads to the tune and Sasuke was smirking.

When we ended the song, the class burst out clapping, cheering and whooping. I left the drum kit just as Hinata and Matsuri left their instruments as well and we joined Ino and Sakura up front. We held hands and bowed together, laughing. Bee sensei came over to us and patted Ino and Sakura on their back.

"You girls have talent!" He praised us as we beamed in delight. But before we could say our thanks, there was an announcement over the speakers.

"_**Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, Matsuri Sunan, Hinata Hyuuga, Sari Kagesan, Tenten Hua and Temari Subaku, Will these girls please come to the principal's office right now."**_

I made made eye contact with the girls since I had no idea why we were being called to the principal's office. They just shrugged and grabbed their bags and made their way out of the class. Sighing I followed suit. We met up with Tenten and Temari along the way but none of us spoke. As we neared the office door, everything seemed to be in slow motion, tension building up each second.

Three girls came out of the principal's office door and my friends seemed to know them. And I had a feeling it wasn't a good thing since Sakura glared at the red headed girl while Matsuri growled at the sight of the girl with long dirty blonde hair. The third girl was meekly staying aside as they passed us. Hinata tensed up while Tenten glared daggers at the three girls, who walked up, head held high and completely ignoring the menacing aura my friends were giving off. Ino and Temari looked at me but I shrugged and gave them a look that says 'I-don't-know-either.'

I had a_ really _bad feeling about this…

* * *

_**The song Sakura and Ino sang is "Friend by Kaitlyn"**_

_**Alright! This chapter is finished! I just hope you guys can give me reviews or at least ideas on how to improve my work. I know this isn't so good. I started this fanfic as practice for school. My English teacher said I needed to use 'complicated' words for my essays. Anyways buh-bye!**_


	6. Ch6 Reminder of the Past

_**(VI) Reminder of the Past.**_

* * *

_**Looking back is difficult.  
Remembering the pain is harsh.  
Being reminded about it is worse.  
We might have moved on…  
But the memory lasts forever.**_

_-Hinata Hyuuga-_

* * *

_**Normal Narration:**_

"L-lady T-Tsunade?" The seven girls exclaimed when they saw the big busted woman sitting behind the principal's desk.

They were muddled up. As far as they can remember, Lady Tsunade was a really famous doctor/surgeon. So, why would she be _here_ as a high school principal? It just didn't make sense, but none of them dared to ask her for reasons because they know she's quick tempred.

A chuckle came from the blonde woman in two low pig tails. She smiled at them, "I see you girls hadn't forgotten me."

Sakura snickered, "No malady, we haven't"

Temari scoffed playfully, "Why would we forget the one that helped us back then?"

"She's right Lady Tsunade," Sari agreed with the eldest Subaku and Matsuri just nodded.

"We'd never forget that day and how you helped us," Hinata informed the prestigious lady in front of her.

Tsunade smiled tenderly at the girls standing before her. They had never ceased to amaze her and frankly, she was fond of them.

"So what made you call us in here?" Tenten asked their 'principal'.

"Ah yes," The girls watched as Tsunade intertwined her fingers under her chin and propped her elbows on her desk for support, "Care to explain to me why you girls got into a fight?"

"Excuse me?" Ino blinked in confusion.

Temari knitted her eyebrows, "I know I'm a rebel and all, but it's only the s_econd_ day of school. I wouldn't get into fights just yet."

Lady Tsunade raised a brow in amusement, causing the girls to burst into fits of giggles, but soon enough their giggling died down.

"What fight are you talking about anyway?" Sari inquired.

"The fight with the three girls that left my office a few moments ago," Tsunade replied, getting more serious.

"But we-," Ino had turned to look at her friends. She noticed that Hinata was fidgeting in discomfort, Tenten was frowning and Matsuri looked as if she was about to kill someone. It confused her.

Temari and Sari made eye made eye contact with Ino, who sighed and shook her head. "So that's why Sasuke had dragged you into class earlier," Ino stated gazing over at her pink haired best friend.

"Tch. That baka," was all Sakura said before she clenched her fists.

"Wait. Shouldn't Sasuke be mad at you?" Tsunade was now the one who was confused.

"Who told you such a thing?" Matsuri asked her but before Tsunade could answer Tenten spoke up, "It was him who dragged _her_ away from the fight." The girl with the twin buns pointed at Sakura when she said the word 'her'.

"I see…" Tsunade said under her breath as she leaned back on her chair.

"She's telling the truth milady," Hinata added just in case Tsunade-sama didn't believe them.

"Tell me the whole story," She instructed.

The four girls who were involved nodded and began narrating the events of that morning, taking turns to explain. They were often interrupted by questions from their 3 clueless friends and lady Tsunade. Their principal became more displeased and concerned with every word said, while Ino, Sari and Temari bottled up their rising anger.

"Well, I trust you girls in this," Tsunade informed them after they ended their story, "Those 3 girls will be back here in my office in no time."

"Thank you," Sakura said, "for trusting us."

Tsunade just nodded with a smile before ordering them, "Now hurry along for lunch. This conversation had already taken up too much time."

The girls grabbed their bags, stood up from their chair, bid their farewell and were about to walk out the door when Tsunade spoke up again, "And girls…"

"Yes malady?" They asked in unison as they turned their heads to face her.

"Look after yourselves. We wouldn't want history to repeat itself."

The seven girls tensed up when they heard those words. Memories flashed to their minds but then quickly shoved them aside. She was right; they don't need history to repeat itself, not now when they finally moved on. The girls nodded before closing the door behind them and headed off for lunch.

* * *

_**At lunch:**_

For the second time that day, the girls found themselves narrating that morning's event along with what had happened when they got called into the principal's office. They had entered the cafeteria hoping to find peace and quiet as they ate but apparently their friends had other ideas. As soon as they caught sight of them, they had engulfed the girls with questions and demands for explanations.

They were all there today, even Konohamaru, Udon, Chisayi and Shizashi. The 30 of them were miraculously gathered around the five lunch table they had put together.

"Karin is a disgrace to the Uzumaki clan," Naruto complained.

"What are you talking about Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked but the reply she got was a grunt of annoyance.

Since Naruto hadn't replied, Nagato did, "She's an Uzumaki as well. A distant cousin."

"A really distant cousin," Naruto had dragged on the word 'really' as if emphasizing the fact that they weren't close in the least.

"How come _we_ never knew about this?" Sakura wondered out loud.

"We only found out after you guys left," Kiba informed her.

"Che. She was troublesome," Shikamaru added.

"Hn," Sasuke and Neji agreed in unison.

Naruto gritted his teeth in frustration. It puzzled the seven girls and they were worried for their friend. He was never one to be this way. This wasn't the over enthusiastic Naruto they knew.

"Naruto what's wrong?" Matsuri asked him, filled with concern

There were several sighs heard after that and soon enough the others, the ones that knew about it, took turns to explain to the girls.

"So let me get this straight," Temari said, "Karin and her mom only came to Konoha so they can get their share of money that Kushina-san's great uncle had left after he died?"

"Karin's mom had surprisingly convinced Kushina obasan to give them her share as well," Moegi told them.

The seven girls were annoyed and pissed off. At least now they know where Karin gets her selfish attitude from.

"That is just sick," Hinata said.

"Tell me about it," Shizashi rolled her eyes, "I can't believe that people can be _that_ hungry for money."

"It's disgusting. I guess now I can understand why you guys are so cautious when befriending people," Chisayi said as she shook her head.

The others smiled at the senior. They were glad to have met her and even more happy that Itachi fell for a kind, honest girl. Now all they could do was wait for them to get together.

"So anyways are you girls ready for your first Nin training?" Konan asked the girls as she took a bite from her dango.

"Hell yeah!"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world!"

"I CAN'T WAIT!"

"I'll be kicking ass today!"

"I'm always ready"

"BE ready for major surprises!"

"Ha! You guys are so going down!"

"I still say you girls shouldn't attend it."

"Don't sta-"

"Don't underestimate us!"

"Yeah well you're still girls"

"So much for not underestimating them un"

"They'll be fine"

"Tch. Troublesome women."

"You'll see. We can't be beaten that easily during combats."

"We'll be watching dattebayo!"

"We're joining as well."

Everyone turned their heads towards Chisayi, who stopped her chopstick halfway through her mouth and asked, "What?"

Itachi smirked, "I'm guessing this year's Nin training will be quite interesting.

* * *

_**What did the girls mean when they said Tsunade had helped them? What will happen between Chisayi and Itachi? What did Tunade mean about history repeating itself?**_

_****_**hope you keep reading anf please .. feel free to give me ideas and suggestions.**


	7. Ch7 A Taste of Karma

_**(VII) A Taste of Karma.**_

* * *

_**What goes around, comes back around;  
Give kindness to receive it.  
But if you do badly to others,  
be ready for the taste of karma.**_

-Temari Subaku-

* * *

_**Just before Nin training:**_

* * *

_**Shino POV:**_

Stepping out of the boys' locker room and into the training grounds behind school, I noticed that most of our gang was already there. They were minding their own business, conversing and having a laugh amongst them. There were a few other kids as well but aside from Suigetsu and Juugo, I didn't recognize any one else.

Suigetsu is a sophomore just like me but Juugo is a junior. They're actually friends with Karin and, in a way, with Sasuke too. Juugo is tall, built and ironically quiet. Suigetsu somehow reminds me of Naruto; loud mouthed, hyperactive, often dumb and witty. They might be the same but neither fails to get on each others' nerves. Even now they were bickering about something.

Surveying my surrounding once more, I saw _her_ and as usual, it made my heart beat faster and slower at the same time. I held in my breath as I stared at her. She was laughing along with the girls as they talked with the seniors, Tobi and Deidara. Oddly enough, her laughter made me die and wake up in heaven. I watched with interest as her auburn hair swayed softly against the wind. It was a mesmerizing sight; one that I would never want to forget.

"Dude, Shino!" I awoke from my trance as someone smacked me on my back. I tilted my head only to see _her_ brother grinning at me.

"What do you want Kiba?" I sighed, turning to face him.

His face shone with mischief as he stared me down, "You were gawking at the girls. Which one?"

"None of your business Inuzuka," I said monotonously. I seriously didn't need to deal with him right now.

"Che. I was just asking," He muttered as he bent down to pat Akamaru, "You better get a seat before our senseis come." And with that he walked towards the bleachers, his insanely large dog at his heels.

I dipped my hands into the pockets of my shorts before gazing over my shoulders at her again. Surprisingly enough, she was looking at me as well. There was a soft breeze as we locked eyes; I saw a blush creep into her beautiful face before she turned away again. I sighed as I walked after Kiba.

_Hana…_

She was the girl I've fallen for, the girl I cannot have. After all, she's my best friend's sister and besides, why would a girl like her like someone like me?

_**BOOM!**_

I craned my head towards the door that leads into school property. It burst open and the posse of little devils barged into the grounds, headed straight for the girls of our group.

'_This is going to end up badly...'_ I thought to myself as I watched the she-devils.

* * *

_**Temari POV:**_

We were sitting by the bleachers, peacefully having a laugh with Deidara and this other guy named Tobi. He wore an orange swirl mark that only had a right eye-hole and was a senior although he most certainly does not act like one. His catch phrase is and I quote 'Tobi is a good boy!'. It was adorable how he behaved and talked like a little kid. The girls and I took an immediate liking towards him and when we told him this, he over enthusiastically started jumping up and down yelling, "Tobi is loved! Tobi made friends!" over and over again.

It made us laugh but sadly, our laughter died down at the sight of four girls heading towards us. The seven of us got up from our seats and stood in a line with Sakura in the middle.

"Girls what's wrong?" Tobi stopped jumping and looked at us, but we ignored him. "Uh oh…not good." I heard him utter to himself.

"What do you want _Karin,"_ Sakura asked the red head when her and her posse stopped in front of us.

Karin frowned and gritted her teeth, "You framed us! How could you!"

I scoffed at her, "You mean to say _you_ framed _us."_

"_Girls! NO fights! Tobi no like fights!"_

"No. We have a whole month's detention thanks to you," A girl wearing a shirt with the name 'Gairi' written across it, told us.

"Well you deserved it seeing as how _you _picked a fight with us," Tenten said placing a hand on her hip.

Hinata spoke up, "It's called Karma."

"What's a Karma?" the girl with dark hair tied into a pony tail with stray strands of hair framing her face, looked confused. And here I thought Naruto was dumb.

"Shut up Yamana!" The blonde one from this morning sneered at the girl before turning to us, "We simply just **warned** you."

"_No more! Girls no more!" Tobi was frantically swaying his hands all over the place, hoping to prevent the fight from erupting._

Matsuri rolled her eyes and placed a hand on her hip, "Who do you _think_ you are?"

The girl named Gairi stepped forward, "The girlfriends of the boys you're supposedly stealing!" I made eye contact with the girls and we suddenly burst out laughing.

Karin gritted her teeth and Yamana spoke up again, "What's so funny?"

"Are you really dumb? Or just adding more effort today?" Sari asked the girl, wiping a tear of joy off of her eye with a single finger.

"SHUT UP! All of you!" Karin suddenly snapped, "YOU! The one with the _huge_ forehead, I'll tell you this once more. **Leave** Sasuke alone!"

"_Listen to Tobi! Tobi no like fights!"_

I saw a vein pop in Sakura's forehead and Ino looked ready to pounce at the girls in front of us even though she was keeping quiet.

"Same goes to all of you! Stay away from our men, especially _you," _The blonde one from this morning warned us, specifically pointing at Matsuri, "Stay away from Gaara!"

"Why should she? As far as I know, my brother can decide things on his own," I glared at her; "Matsuri and Gaara are childhood friends."

"Tch, brother my ass," Gairi snorted and scrutinized Tenten, "I don't get what Neji-kun sees in a cross dresser."

"Same goes here. Bloody whores..." Karin said

"_NO- say your sworryy!"_

Tenten didn't hold in her disdain and neither did Sakura. Both of my friends raised their clenched fist in unison and their hands swiftly moved simultaneously to knock the lights out of the scornful girls.

"_Eh -Tobi tried to warn you!"_ and with that I saw Tobi cover his face with his arms, not wanting to see the impact of the punches.

* * *

_**Sasori POV:**_

_**.**_

"Oi! Isn't that your cousin sister?" Hidan asked me in the middle of our conversation. I strained my head towards where he was pointing at and saw the seven girls with four of the devils' posse. I noticed Tenten and her raising their hands and Tobi casually yelled out, "Eh- Tobi tried to warn you!" He then closed his face with the sleeves of his shirt.

_Crap!_ Without wasting another second, I rushed to the girls and was able to prevent Sakura from punching the red headed girl by holding her back.

"NII-SAN! Let go!" Sakura ordered me as she struggled against my grip. I didn't reply; instead I grasped tighter on her shoulders. I looked over to Tenten to see if she had punched the other girl and you can bet I was surprised to see Yahiko keeping a hold on the girl's hands.

"What's going on here?" Yahiko asked Hinata, since she's the most likely to tell the truth.

"…" well so much for that. Yahiko looked over at someone behind me, "Deidara?"

I turned around just in time to see Deidara's smirk fading and he scoffed before turning away, "_They_ deserve to be pummeled." He pointed at Karin and her friends when he said the word 'they'. I sighed and shook my head at him. Sometimes I wonder why this guy was my best friend.

"Look forehead, your **big** brother is here to_ save_ you," Karin sneered at my little cousin sister. I wanted to teach this disrespectful girl a lesson but I had to keep Sakura intact since she struggled even more to get away. I scanned the faces of the 6 other girls; Hinata had her fists clenched, Sari was scowling, Matsuri was scrutinizing her enemies, Tenten's face gave danger a new meaning and Temari looked as if she was ready to kill. It seemed that Ino was the only calm one.

Then out of nowhere I heard a low growl. One second Ino was behind me and the next she was standing in front of the girl that insulted her best friend. _So much for being calm._

"Listen here _four-eyes. _Don't_ ever _insult my friends. Do so once more and I'll _kill you._" Ino's menacing tone sent shivers done my spine. Trust me when I say you should never mess with girls. I learnt this the hard way 5 years ago…

"Oh really now _fat_ ass?" The blonde girl named Yansai quirked her brow, "Saving forehead here?"

I guess this made Ino snap since she rushed toward the girl. "Ino don't!" Yahiko yelled at the girl but she didn't listen. As if on cue, Kiba and Shikamaru arrived and stopped the hazardous Ino from pouncing on the other blonde. And Itachi was in between the two girls. Guess they finally noticed the fight.

Ino struggled to get away from the boys' grip, but when she wasn't succeeding, she began yelling insults the scornful fan girls instead.

"YOU MORONS! Don't call Sakura forehead! Only _**I**_ can insult her and get away with it! Who do you think you are anyway! You're a bunch of pathetic losers who act all bi-"

"ENOUGH!" Itachi cut off her yelling, his voice was serious and full of authority. He then turned towards Yansai, Ami, Gairi and Karin, "And _you four_. Unless you want **two** months of detention, you'll leave ours little sisters _alone_!" Itachi's voice was filled with anger and the crowd that had gathered dispersed almost immediately, but the four girls still stood there as if frozen to the spot.

"W-why should we?" Karin pursed her lips stubbornly, causing Itachi to glare daggers at them. They whimpered and ran off to the other side of the bleachers, stumbling and trembling along their way.

"Well that was the best fun I've had in ages!" Itachi grinned at us once the four girls were out of sight. I sweat dropped. _Seriously Itachi?_

Yahiko just laughed and the seven girls giggled, their anger evaporating with it. Shikamaru and Kiba let go of Ino so I freed Sakura as well.

"Seriously you should do that more often!" Tenten encouraged the Uchiha, whose smirk turned into a mischievous grin.

"One more time! Itachi san is a good actor! Tobi is happy!" Tobi clasped his hands in front of his chest. He reminded me of a child pleading his mom to buy an ice-cream. If he wasn't wearing that mask, I'll bet his eyes would be all big, shiny and as girls would call it, _'So cute'_

"What a drag," Shikamaru said as he sat down and placed his intertwined his fingers behind his head, "Tsunade-sama is coming."

And with that we saw the door leading into school open and our principal strode in with our senseis.

* * *

_**(Start of training) Normal Narration:**_

* * *

"Welcome back to Nin-Training students!" The students cheered when their principal said this and she continued when they fell silent once more, "Ok, so you'll be in the same teams as last year, but since there are quite a few new students joining us this year, they'll each be put into one the existing teams. The newbies can choose what they want to do to _show off_ their skills. If its hand-to hand combat, we'll assign you an active member of Nin training for you to spar with. We'll declare the teams you'll be in during next Tuesday's Nin training. And remember, the list of new Akatsuki members will be up in the notice board by the end on this week."

A more deafening cheer erupted from the bleachers and several whole whistles were heard as Tsunade walked over to the table and chairs placed on the sidelines. Everyone was excited about Nin training but they were even more excited and curious to find out who got selected to be the Akatsuki members this year. It'll be an honor to be a part of that team since they consisted of the strongest and they were the ones that made sure school rules were obeyed. Akatsuki were like a student council, only with more authority and duties.

* * *

Anko walked over to the middle of the training grounds just as the noise died down, "Heh. Welcome back twerps! I'll need the newbies to select what they're going to be showing us so if you may, come down to the first row and sign up. The sheets should be with Kakashi."

The seven girls jumped and excitedly and half ran, half stumbled to the first row, with Chisayi and Shizashi following suit. Their friends yelled their wishes as they did so. Aside from them, there were a few others who came to sit beside them in the first row. There were just a couple of freshman and the rest were from a higher grade. One particularly person however, caught Ino's interest. She wondered why she'd never seen him before. But then again it _was_ just the second day of school and lessons had begun only today.

After they had signed up, Anko spoke up again, their sign-up sheets in her hand, "Well it seems that most of the newbies would rather die with hand-to-hand combating." A few students laughed at Anko's lame joke, but she didn't really mind. "Alright, first up is Tenten Hua vs. Kakazu; an archery contest. So grab those arrows and fire away!"

* * *

Tenten walked out into the battlefield calmly and saw her opponent there already, flirtatiously gazing her down. Her eye twitched in annoyance as she grabbed a bow and arrow from the weapon's heap in the side line. Strolling to the center of the field, she strapped the arrows to back. She abruptly stopped in her place, facing the ten centric rings that were 30 meters away from her. After fixing an arrow into the bow, she took a deep breath, raised her hands along with the bow, pulled on the string, focused on her target and let go of the string in a blink of an eye.

_**Swoosh! Thunk!**_

The crowd by the bleacher erupted as the arrow hit bullhorn dead in the center, earning Tenten a full 10 points. She heaved a sigh of relief and grinned at her flirt of a opponent. "Not bad for a chick," Hidan smirked at her, "But let's show little girls how real archers work, shall we?" Tenten frowned but didn't say anything. She diverted her attention to Kakazu's arrow as it swiftly flew past and missed the target by an inch.

"Now who's the little girl?" Tenten mocked him back, causing him to grit his teeth.

"Don't get cocky; there are still a few more rounds,"

Soon, several _**swooshes**_ and _**thumps**_ could be heard as the two engaged their full attention at hitting their targets. In the end Tenten had hit exactly 9 of her 10 targets while Kakazu only hit 8. He certainly wasn't happy about his lost. Especially since he was defeated by a girl two years his younger.  
"Next time, don't underestimate your enemy," Tenten told him form over her shoulder as she walked back to the roaring crowd. A triumphant smile covered her face as her friends congratulated her on her success.

* * *

Back at the bleachers, people were talking and whispering about Tenten's success. Her aims were flawless and impressive for a girl. Even her own friends were surprised.

"She hit **9** of them _exactly_ on the center!" Naruto yelled in shock.

"Hn." Sasuke smirked. He was impressed.

Udon rubbed the back of his head, "Is that even possible?"

Hanabi answered him, "It is. She has great aim."

"YOSH! THE POWER OF YOUTH!" Lee exclaimed out of nowhere.

* * *

"Alright! That was really something. But, next up is Chisayi against Tobi; Hand-to-hand combating. Good luck!" Anko jumped several feet away from the combatants when they came over to the center. Chisayi grinned at Tobi as they shook hands. "Do your best Chisayi-san!" Tobi encouraged her and she nodded back.

They took their fighting stances as the crowd held their breath and watched intently. Tobi just stood there, patiently waiting for his opponent to make the first move. And in a blink of an eye, Chisayi was right in front of him, her fists plunging towards his face. She was fast but he was faster. The masked senior leaned away, causing the girl's hand to just brush past his cheek. His leg swung to land a blow on her hip but she he reached out to catch it before impact. Tobi saw this jumped away instead.

* * *

"She's impressive," Konan said as she watched the two fighters avoid and block each other's moves, "It's not every day you see a girl match Tobi's movements."

"Chisayi is definitely full of surprises. Isn't she Itachi?" Nagato glanced over at the said person only to see that he wasn't paying attention to them but was instead watching the fight attentively. He was specifically observing the female battler. The red headed Uzumaki stared at his friend noticing the look Itachi had plastered on his usually stoic face. It was a look he'd never seen in the guy. It was a look of pleasure, awe and most of all… genuine affection.

"She certainly is a special one, alright. I've never seen Itachi so… happy,"

Nagato turned towards the voice and saw Kisame, Itachi's best friend. He too was scanning the Uchiha's out of character demeanor. Nagato glance over at Itachi once more before smiling to himself and saying, "Chisayi likes him too. I see the gleam of ardor in her eyes when she looks at him."

"But, she's not like Ginsei or the other fan girls," Kisame pointed out. Ginsei was Itachi's main fan girl. Always confessing her love and affection and whatever else she could. It was annoying and so was she.

"No. She most certainly isn't" Nagato muttered under his breath as he turned to face the battle between his other two friends.

.

* * *

Chisayi stood in her place and calmly feeling her surrounding as a gust of wind blew by. She thought about what happened so she could predict Tobi's next move.  
She had been able to land a blow onto her opponent's shoulder. Chisayi might not have been able to see his face, but something in her told that Tobi was serious now. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Then out of the blue he had disappeared after striking twice and left her there, trying to anticipate what he was up to.  
The female senior felt movement and smiled. In one fluid movement she clenched her right fist, turned around, hit Tobi square in the face and slammed him to the ground.

"Gotcha," She smirked at the boy she was tying down on the ground. He tried to wiggle away but was pinned too tightly.

Tobi stopped trying to get away and grinned underneath that mask, "Well done Chisayi-san. You've won."

Smiling, she let out the breath she had unconsciously held in the spur of moment. She stood up as the wolf whistles and loud applause bust from the bleachers. Tobi took hold of the hand she had extended toward him and she helped him to his feet.

.

* * *

"Hush up people! " Anko ordered the students when she came back to the center, "Next is a sword fight; Sai against Sasuke. Get your asses down here kids." And with that Anko walked away.

Ino noticed the boy she was eyeing, had stood up and was walking towards the grounds, where Sasuke was waiting.

'_So his name is Sai huh. Wonder how good he is.' _Ino thought to herself.

.

* * *

They drew their swords simultaneously, and engaged into a perilous fight; swords clanging on impact and jumping away to avoid attacks. Sai launched another preemptive strike, but Sasuke was quick. He kept his katana close to him and without stretching, he block the attack. The Uchiha watched as his opponent slipped away and planted his feet to the ground for balance. The boys inspected each other, trying to figure out their assets and liabilities. Once done, the stoic one noticed his opponent's sword lifting every so lightly each second. In a flick of his wrists, Sasuke knocked the sword off of his opponent hand using his, rammed the other boy to the ground and placed his katana hovered above his opponent's neck.

"You should be more cautious," Sasuke said monotonously as he helped him up.

"I am. But, you're good Uchiha. Real good," Said said with a fake smile.

"Hn." Deep down, Sasuke had this feeling hunch that this boy hadn't exactly shown his full potential and it bothered the Uchiha. In fact, it was surprising that the fight ended so soon. As confusing as it might have been, the youngest Uchiha shrugged it off, not wanting to ponder over something he wasn't sure of.

.

* * *

"HINATA-CHAN! You can do this!" She heard someone holler at her, making her heart beat faster and slower. It was him. It was Naruto encouraging her.

"Don't let her gain advantage!" From the corner of her eyes, she noticed that Sari was on her feet and was yelling helpful tactics at her. She knew her friend was concerned about her, but she had to win this _her _way. This fight had already taken up too much time and she was out of breath, but she _will_ gain victory one way or another.

"Che. _My _Naruto-kun really does pity you," the girl she was competing against glared, "You're friends just as petty as you are."

'_I've __**had**__ it with these STUPID fan girls_!' Hinata screamed in her head. She was simmering and shaking from anger. Usually she would have ignored the nasty comments, but she had been doing that the just whole day and it didn't help her at all. This time… _they're gonna pay._

The Hyuuga heiress stayed in her ground, careful not to make any reckless moves. Faye, her antagonist and Naruto's so-called fan girl, dashed forward out of animosity. The lavender eyed girl smirked. She had been counting on this; the heedless actions of her opponent. As Faye invaded her, Hinata hastily took note of the girl's motions and noticed an opening. Nimbly, the usually shy girl crouched down, extended her leg and swung it around, knocking her rival out off of her feet. Hastily, Hinata stood up again and placed her foot on the girls' stomach before the could even anticipate what had happened. Faye groaned in pain but stayed put.

"Don't _ever_ get on my nerves again." Hinata's smile masked the menace in her voice.

.

* * *

"Man, for a moment there I thought she might kill her," Kiba said as he applauded his friend's victory.

"She looked like it," Neji simply stated, "But she's still Hinata."

Shino shook his head, "She might be shy and kind, but never underestimate her skills."

Naruto grinned from ear to ear, "They've gotten stronger ever since…" The blonde's grin faded and turned into a frown at the memory.

The Hyuuga prodigy looked up at the sky and sighed, "It's been five years…"

"It helped them to be what they are now though," Hana suddenly spoke up. The boys only nodded their agreement, despising the thought of reliving the memory that was buried in the back of their heads.

But something made them jerk up. Anko had just named the next two adversaries and they couldn't believe their ears. Were they insane or just plain stupid? Why the hell would they put those two to battle each other? Didn't they notice the deadly aura emitting from the both of them?

This day just couldn't get any worse…

* * *

_**Sakura POV:**_

"Don't hurt her too much Sakura," Konan nee-chan said, holding on to my hand as I stood up. I frowned at her request.

"Tch. The idiot deserves it," Temari crossed her arms over her chest.

"Besides, they were the ones asking for it," Matsuri pointed out with an air of dignity, "now she's getting it."

I passed Sasuke as I stepped down the bleachers; He was giving me a warning look, but I shrugged it off and strolled over to the middle of the training ground. My opponent was already there. I left my face emotionless as I stared her down, but then she just had to ruin it by opening her big, fat mouth.

"You're going down P-I-N-K-Y."

The cauldron in me was boiling again, but instead of getting pissed off, I smirked at her, "We'll see _four eyes_."

"GO SAKURA-CHAN!"

"KICK HER ASS DATTEBAYO!"

"GOOD LUCK SAKURA!"

"YOSH! MY CHERRY BLOSSOM SHALL WIN!"

Karin sneered and without a moment's hesitation, she charged at me out of anger. _BIG_ mistake.

Judging her movements, I guessed that she'd try to punch my face, so I acted fast. She raised her hand and struck hard, but I stopped her fist from making contact with my face by grabbing it on the last minute.

_CRUUUNCH!_

My grip on her hand tightened and her bones cracked under the pressure. Face deceiving no emotion, I simple stated, "Rule number 1. _NEVER_ rush at your opponent out of anger."

She gritted her teeth. Almost at once she pulled her hand away from my clutch and lashed her legs at me on the double. I ducked away, took hold of her flailing arm and swung her around. I let her go abruptly and she whizzed across the terrain, dust and pebbles flying away as she landed.

"Rule number 2. Never make _predictable _moves." I informed her as watched her get up from the ground.

"Tch. Don't act so smart Pinky!" She bolted towards me again. This time I noticed that she was aiming to strike my chest. In a blink of an eye I had blocked her assault with my arm and squatted down, swinging my extended leg to knock her off of her feet. When she was about to fall, I quickly took hold of her shoulders and kneed her. She dropped to the ground, wincing in pain as tiny rocks from the ground dug into her skin.

Karin was breathing heavy when she stood up gain, still clutching her stomach in agony. I didn't even break a sweat. She was this battered up when I was holding back.

Smirking, I spoke up again, "Rule number 3. _Always_ think before your actions."

She opened her mouth to say something but her knees shook and gave out causing her to fall down again. Her hands propped her up from the ground as she coughed out some blood. I didn't attack her again, I didn't need to. I had won and I wasn't going to let personal anger get in between this fight. Yes, I was still annoyed with her, but she's human too. Everyone deserves to be pardoned…

Anko sensei came over to us with Shizune and another nurse. Shizune –san helped the red head to stand and the other nurse wrapped Karin's left arms around her neck. Together with Shizune, they supported the red head as they walked off towards the school infirmary.

"Sakura is our winner!"

The students in the bleachers erupted into deafening cheers, roars and applause. Several wolf whistles raided my ears and I beamed as I stood there in the middle of the grounds. I saw my friends rushing over to me.

"You go girl!"

"Hell yeah! Showed them whose boss!"

"You were amazing!"

"That was some kick dattebayo!"

"Hn."

"No more nice cherry blossom huh?"

"That was unbelievable!"

"Troublesome. You girls are scary."

"WOOF!" Akamaru barked.

I laughed as I shook my head at the comments my friends and fellow school mates were yelling out. I have to admit, I loved the taste of sweet revenge even though I shouldn't.

* * *

_**The first part of this story was kind of unnecessary but i wanted Shino to be in it so i did just that...**_


	8. Ch8 Love Struck

_**(VIII) Love Struck**_

* * *

_**When it comes to relationships,  
I don't have a clue.  
Love at first sight?  
I don't know, I zoom.  
But then **__**you **__**took my heart and me.  
Ba Da Bing Ba Da Boom.**_

_-Ino Yamanaka-_

* * *

_**Moegi POV:**_

It was Wednesday, the third day of school and I was heading with Hanabi towards fourth period; Lady Chiyo's biology class.

Hanabi sighed and clutched the books in her arms more tightly, "Kono-kun still hadn't stopped. He's so obsessed in finding who the _girl_ is."

"Why don't you just tell him it was you?" I asked her as we walked down the school hallways. I was really worried about her because she hasn't been herself much since school began and it's killing me to not be able to help her, "I mean it's not like he'll get mad. In fact, I'll bet he'll be glad about it."

"NO! Are you _insane?_" She exclaimed out of nowhere.

"Hanabi, he's n-," I turned to right to glance at her but she wasn't there. So I turned my body to search behind me and there she was, frozen in her tracks. Her eyes were glazed as she stared at her feet. It was like as if she was in a whole different universe.

I noticed her knuckles turning white as she gripped tighter on her books, "Hanabi?"

"H-he'll never talk with me again," She locked her moist eyes with mine as she gulped miserably, "I-I'll j-just ruin our friendship.

"You can never do that. He's fond of you if you haven't noticed," I told her, my voice serious yet full of remorse in seeing my best friend this way, "He's _always_ telling you _everything_."

She looked at me as if I was demented and I sighed, "It's true Hanabi. He always does…"

"That's th-"

"HANABI! MOEGI!" Konohamaru was waving like an idiot as he run between the crowds, towards us, "I have great news!"

He stopped right in front of us, rested his hands on his knees and was panting heavily. It was as if he ran a thousand miles just to tell this news, whatever it was.

"I know a way to find out who the girl is," he said, completely out of breath, "I can just ask each girl in our class. Well not all of them, just the reasonable ones."

I sighed as we started walking again. Hanabi was still in dream land so I spoke up, "Kono, that's a stupid idea."

"It is? Why?" He furrowed his brows at me and I gave him a look that says 'Are-you-really-dumb-or-what'. When I didn't answer, he leered at Hanabi, hoping for an answer, but the Hyuuga hadn't even been paying attention. Konohamaru must have realized that something was wrong since her stopped and stood in front of the girl, waving his hand in front of her face, "Hey. Hanabi! What's up with you, freakzilla?"

I inwardly smile at the Kono's nickname for my gal pal. He'd started calling her freakzilla every since that day a year ago. Hanabi was freaking out because she had over heard her father talking on the phone about sending her to boarding school. She didn't stop blabbering and complaining about it for the whole weak and she looked like a mess. In the end it turns out she had misheard her dad. He wasn't going to send her away, but rather that one of his friends was asking about a boarding school to shift his son to.

"H-huh? W-what?" Hanabi came back from wherever she was in and wrinkled her nose for some reason.

"Did you even hear what I had said?" Konohamaru asked as he watched her walk over to a drinking fountain.

"Y-yeah. And Moegi's right. It's stupid."

I raised my brows at my best friend, completely shocked. Seriously what was up with this girl?

"Your fan girls will just claim to be the one even though it's not true," She said before bending down to have a drink from the fountain.

Konohamaru processed what she said quietly before talking again, "The girl. She sounded familiar…"

Hanabi choked on the water she was drinking when she heard this and swiftly turned to face our crazy guy friend.

"W-what?" She was panicking mentally. I could tell even though Kono couldn't. That guy really is dense…

Konohamaru sighed and stared at the ceiling, "Even though she just rushed through the words over the phone, I couldn't help but feel like… like she meant it. When she said she loved me, my heart skipped a beat. I was filled with warmth. And the most confusing thing … it felt like I knew her. I guess what I'm saying is," He looked from me to Hanabi and back again, "…I love her already, even though I've no clue about her identity."

I held my breath and just stared at him with wide eyes. Ok so maybe he wasn't as dense as he seemed to be. The most shocking thing; I've never seen him this way before. I've never heard him say such things. Hanabi made eye contact with me. Her eyes… it was so full of remorse, helplessness and … Heartbreak.

"K-Kono, look at it this way," I said, hoping to shake him off of the trail for my best friend's sake and sanity, "If she wanted you to know who she is, she would have told you by now."

"Y-yeah, b-"

I interrupted him since I wasn't finished, "She'll tell you when the time is right. Right, Hanabi?"

I glanced over at her just in time to see her jolt up. Guess she didn't expect me to ask her opinion.

"Y-yeah. She would…" She sounded so confused as she stared at her feet yet again. I heard her whisper something that was barely apprehensible. It sounded like "once she dies…"

I sighed. This girl just doesn't understand does she?

Konohamaru laughed nervously as he rubbed the nape of his neck, "Yeah. You're probably right. I bet you think I'm an idiot for saying such stupid things. Anyways, come on, let's hurry. Don't wanna be late for class now, do we?"

_**Both**__ of them just don't get it…_

* * *

_**Ino POV:**_

"I'm late! Move it people!" I pushed the other students away as I ran toward the arts room. I'd been so busy reapplying my make-up that I completely lost track of time and now I'm going to be late it I don't hurry up!

"SORRY IF I'M LA-"

_**OOMPH!**_

I had slammed the door open and rushed in only to bump into someone and fall flat on my butt. I groaned as I looked up at the hand extended towards me. I ran my eyes up that arm, to look at the person's face. I was caught in a trance when my baby blue eyes met _the_ cutest ebony eyes _ever!_ It belonged to that guy from yesterday's Nin training. It was _him._

_Sai…_

"You should really be more careful miss," He smiled a heart melting smile as I placed my hand on his and he pulled me up, "Don't want pretty ladies like you getting injured."

I blushed crazy at his compliment. Or at least I thought it was a compliment. "I- umm…U-uh t-thanks."

*_WHAT is wrong with me!*  
__***you're stuttering just like Hinata when with Naruto.*  
**__*EXACTLY! I'm Ino. I don't do stuttering!*  
__***well you are. So deal with it*  
**__*Tch. stupid inner!*  
__***Why thank you.***_

"Miss Yamanaka, you may go to your seat," Yamato sensei informed me. I hadn't even realized that I was just standing there for no particular reason.

"Y-yes sensei," I muttered as I walked over and sat next to Kiba. He was the only one I knew in this class.

Kiba raised an eyebrow at me, "What was that about? Did _Ino_ just stutter?"

I scoffed as I slapped his shoulder. He cried out in pain, causing half the class to look at us.

"Shut up, Kiba." I whispered to him when I saw Yamato sensei glaring at us.

"As I was saying before Miss Yamanaka inconveniently interrupted us," I sank down in my seat when Yamato sensei said this, "Sai here in a new student and will be with us for the rest of the year. Welcome Sai and please take a seat."

Sai thanked our sensei before walking over to an unoccupied easel and canvas. Nobody really paid attention to him since they were so concentrated on their work, but I did. I watched as he began painting on the canvas, I watched how he chose the colours and how he stroked the canvas with his brush.

"Man that guy reeled you in pretty deep Ino," I heard Kiba say. I sighed and looked at him.

"Is it that obvious?"

He grinned at me and turned back to his drawing, "He just better not hurt you else he'll hear it from everyone in our group."

I choked a laugh, "yeah… but it's not like I have a chance anyway."

Kiba looked up at me as if I had grown another head, "Why the hell not?"

I looked over my shoulder at Sai, "Because… I'm Ino, a flirt."

"Che. You are. But, that's not all you are and you know it," Kiba grunted at me. I smiled back at him. This guy is as unpredictable as Naruto sometimes.

"I'm lucky to have a friend like you Kiba. Thank you."

"You better be!" I scoffed at him in disbelief and he laughed. "And you're welcome Ino."

* * *

_**Hana POV:**_

"Jesus! Guy sensei should really keep his '_youthfulness' _to himself! My legs are so numb from all that running!"

Tenten had been complaining about our PE sensei ever since we got out of our first PE lesson. I don't understand why she's complaining. After all, she can actually _handle_ Guy sensei's strenuous PE workouts and such. In a way though, I can't blame her because I can't even feel my hands anymore. Our ever-so-youthful Sensei made us do 100 freaking pushups and it was _exhausting!_ I'm not exaggerating when I say that man can keep running around the whole town non-stop. It's impressive but he seriously doesn't need to make us like him.

"- I mean seriously I don't know whether I can survive his PE lessons for a whole year!"

I didn't even realize that I had zoned out on her. Sighing, I twirled the combination of my locker and opened it, "Ten. Don't you think you're over exaggerating a little?"

"Are you kidding me?" she flailed her arms all over the place to emphasize her words, "He's going to lead me to my grave!"

I rolled my eyes at her as I pulled out the books I needed for our next lesson. Then out of nowhere I saw _him_. That was all it took for me to drift away to heaven. As I watched him stroll pass me with Gaara, my heart beat faster and slower at the same time and I couldn't breathe anymore. Just seeing him was so _intoxicating._

My books slipped from my hand and I snapped out of dreamland. Tenten was suddenly quiet again as she stared at me. I bent down to pick my books up and as I reached out for the first one, another hand met mine. Electricity rushed through my body when our hands touched. I looked up to see him there, gazing down at me. Barely able to concentrate, I pulled my hand away and collected the other books instead. After making sure I had all of it, I stood up and so did he.

I met his eyes again, and I was surprised to see that he wasn't wearing his sun glasses today. We stared into each other's eyes for quite a while and in that spur of moment I felt like it was just us two standing there in the school hallways and no one else. Now, I really don't know what he felt but I do know I was mesmerized and I couldn't tear my gaze away from him. Thousands of emotions rushed through me; happiness, longing, anxiousness, wariness, anxiety, love… Each feeling had a reason behind it.

"We have to go now,"

I jolted as I was brought back to reality. I've never noticed that Gaara was there as well until now. I smacked myself mentally for being so clueless about my surroundings. He nodded at Gaara, handed me my book and without a word, walked away again.

"You know he'll find out sooner or later right?" Tenten asked me as I stared at his back, walking away from me.

"I know…" I whispered to myself as I closed my locker, "Shino is not stupid…"

* * *

_**Matsuri POV:**_

I didn't pay attention to Iruka sensei as he explained about heat waves and instead I just stared at the back of _his_ head for no plausible reason. His blood red hair appeared to be so enthralling to me and I had no idea why. The only other thing I can see of him was his back. His seriously hot back…

I mentally pulled my hair in frustration.

***Girl, get a hold of yourself!*  
***Trying to if you didn't noticed.*  
***Try harder!*  
***Arrghh!*

"MATSURI! You okay? You seem to be in pain," Naruto hissed at me quietly so that our sensei won't notice us talking.

Feigning a smile, I answer him, "I'm fine. No worries."

He grimaced back at me, "Do you guys really take me as an idiot? Okay so maybe I am at times. But, I've known you for so long. Tell me."

I have to admit; he surprised me there and I kind of felt guilty as well. It's true though, Naruto can be dumb and so oblivious at times, but when it comes to his friends' emotions, he'll understand in an instant. Except when it comes to Hinata. Next time, I should really keep that in mind.

I sighed and glanced at the boy sitting in front of me. Naruto must have caught on because the next thing I knew he had placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder and was grinning his foxy grin at me, "You should tell him."

"Are you _crazy?"_ I asked him wide eyed.

"Might be," he shrugged at me, "But why?"

"I can't tell him, Naruto. He's a childhood friend and since I'm close to him, I don't want my feelings to get in the way. It's going to make things worse," I explained to him with a heavy heart.

"You're wrong Mats. It's not going to ruin things, but rather make things even better," He looked at Gaara, paused for a second or two, before continuing, "He's been alone for too long. Sure he might have us all as his close friends and he has his siblings with him. But, come on, you know him more than the rest of us put together and you should know that even though he smiles and laughs at times, he's still lonely."

Naruto's words got to me and I knew he was right. Ever since their mother, Kurara-san died and that incident 5 years ago… a lot of things have changed. Gaara's attitude was one of them. He never got over his mom's death and neither did his siblings. Temari and Kankuro tend to have fun to get it off of their minds but Gaara? He bottles it all up inside him and never lets anyone in. I'm the only person he talks to openly, even if just a bit. He's a lot more different around me compared to when he's around his brother and sister.

I'm not trying to brag but it's just the simple truth and I didn't understand it either. In fact in confuses me a lot, though I never complain.

"Besides," Naruto turned to face me yet again and he was smiling this time; an honest smile, "Gaara's happy when he's around you…"

I sighed in defeat. I understood what Naruto was trying to say, but I'm still sticking with my opinion. Gaara is just open with me because I'm his best friend and best friends can talk with each other. Period. I was about to tell Naruto this but there was a knock on the classroom door and everyone swiveled towards it just as a senior that I didn't know entered.

"Sorry for interrupting Iruka sensei, but Tsunade-sama called for you," the coal-black haired guy said. Iruka sensei acknowledged him and turned to the class again.

"Alright kids, do the questions in chapter 2 while I'm gone," He walked towards the door and said, "And no fooling around."

Once he left the room every student began gossiping, talking, playing and whatever else they could do with each other. No one cared enough to actually do the questions. Typical.

Yansai strutted her way towards Gaara and sat down, crossed legged on his table. She was wearing _the_ shortest skirt I've ever seen, that I wondered if it _was_ a skirt. Her halter top was pretty skimpy and showed off her cleavage. I rolled my eyes at her as she tried flirting with Gaara, whose face, by the way, showed no emotion at all. In fact I don't even think he noticed the girl in front of him.

Yansai must have noticed it too; that Gaara wasn't paying her any attention. She got down from the table and tried to sit on his lap instead. Too bad for her that Gaara has swift movements and in a blink of an eye, Gaara was standing beside me and Yansai had fallen to the floor. Several heads turned to her and they burst out laughing. I chuckled along, not able to hide my contempt.

"Naruto, grab me that chair," Gaara said flatly and Naruto passed him the chair. Gaara place it by my table and just simply sat there without another word. Amused, I shook my head at the thought of what my best friend had just done. This guy… he does have a sense of humour beneath that entire cold demeanor.

* * *

_**Chisayi POV:**_

"Yo! Listen up kids. Your project for this week is that you'll pair up with someone and write a song. During the next class you'll both perform it. Remember it'll be 15% of your grade for this term. Any questions?" Bee sensei rapped at us. _** (a/n: I suck at rapping so bear with me here xD)**_

A girl with electric blue eyes and chestnut-brown hair tied into a French braid raised her hand.

"Yes Ginsei?" Bee-sensei inquired.

The girl squirmed into a more comfortable position before talking, "Will we be the ones to choose our partners?"

Bee-sensei shook his head and rapped his answer, "No little girl. I've chosen one for each of you. Work together is all you have to do."

The class groaned, not wanting to be paired up with someone they couldn't tolerate. Or worse yet, someone they despise.

"Did you pair me up with my Itachi-kun then?" the girl, whose name is Ginsei, asked yet again.

My brow up lifted in marvel. Did I just hear right? I scanned the room to find Mr. Swanky and when I found him, he was as impassive as ever. It looked as if he wasn't surprised and like he didn't care. Something in me panicked and was about to shatter and I don't even know why.

"I don't want to be paired up with fan girls," Itachi stated indifferently. I subconsciously heaved a sigh of relief. _What is __**wrong **__with me!_

"Oh you don't mean that Ita-kun," Ginsei whined at him. His eye twitched and he spoke again, "No, I do mean it, so shut up."

I winced when I heard his tone of voice; it rang with warning and seriousness. Guess he really hates his fan-girls.

"Hope I get paired up with you," Ginsei whispered, leaning towards me just as Bee-sensei began listing out those who'd be working together for this week, "I'd die if it wasn't yo-"

"Konan and Soko, Sasori and Yahiko, Tobi and Ginsei, Deidara and Shizashi…" Bee sensei went on and on.

"Or not…" Shizashi grinned as she perked up when she heard who she was paired up with. I saw Tobi face palm himself and say, "_Oh no, Tobi is gonna __**die**__…" _ Ginsei just groaned, but I didn't pay attention to them. Instead I looked at my best friend with plain amusement.

She knitted her brows at me, "What?"

"You like him," I stated matter-of-factly as I crossed my arms over my chest.

Hey eyes widened and her mouth hung open, clearly inviting flies. She scoffed, "I do _**not!**__"_

I raised my hand in front of me defensively as if saying 'whatever-you-say-girl'. I then strained my ears to listen to Bee sensei, still waiting to hear who I got paired up with.

"And lastly, Itachi and Chisayi" Bee sensei ended.

Oh thank goodness. Wait _**WHAT!**_

"Well whaddaya know…" My crazy best friend's voice was filled with mirth when she eyed me evilly.

This is **so** _not_ cool Bee sensei. I'm paying you back for this. Just you wait…

* * *

_**Tenten POV:**_

_**.**_

It was after school and we were here at home, in the Hyuuga compound, playing basketball against each other. When I said we, I meant Neji and me. Hinata wasn't really into basketball so she didn't join us and Hanabi disappeared somewhere so it was just me and Neji.

I've been living with the Hyuugas ever since my parents' death. Since I didn't have any close relatives, Hiashi-sama, being my parents' best friend, took me in. It was difficult at first, getting used to their customs and being the only non-Hyuuga in the whole compound. Eventually though, I got used to it with my friends' help. And it's actually kind of fun living in with friends…

Anyways, going one-on-one with Neji is tiring. I was swift but he was taller than me and keeps on blocking the ball when I shoot. So far he's winning and if I don't score this last shot I'd lose to him, which is certainly _not _something I'd like in the least.

"Give up, Ten. You're still going to lose," Neji affirm.

"We'll see Hyuuga, we shall see…" I narrowed my eyes perilously at him, but he just smirked back.

*****_**You are sooo going down now Hyuuga.*  
**__*heh. You got that right.*  
__***You show him what we're made of!*  
**__*Oh ho yes I will!*_

As I dribbled the ball, I quickly swerved pass him and ran towards his basket. He acted almost at once and ran after me. I reach the three point line and decided to shoot from there since I couldn't risk him reaching me to take the ball away. My knees bent, my hands were around the ball over my head and within a second I jumped up as I shot the ball. Unfortunately for me, Neji arrived just in time to catch the ball in his hand and as he did so he bumped into me and we fell down.

I closed my eyes and groaned when I landed on the ground with a thud. However, my eyes snapped open when I felt pressure above me, and I gazed into those pale, lavender eyes.

'_Oh my god! Neji is on top of me! Freaking hell!'_ I panicked in my head.

Neither of us moved; we just stayed like that, staring at each others' eyes. Even though I ordered my body to move away, it just didn't do so. Now I know what Hinata felt when she accidentally kissed Naruto. Now I know why she didn't move away so soon.

It felt like I was falling deeper and deeper into the depths of his eyes as I kept on staring. His touch… it felt so _right. _My stomach knotted and I couldn't seem to think straight. All that was in my head was about how much I wanted to _kiss_ him. I scared myself with that thought. His head seemed to be closing in on mine by the second and it was making me dizzy. I felt so light headed, and my heart was beating faster and faster and faster…

*_**Get**__** a grip Tenten! He's you're best friend!*  
**__*I know! I know! But…*  
__***No buts! Move. NOW!*  
**__*I don't know how.*  
__***PUSH him away moron!*  
**__*Don't want to…*  
__***Do you even HEAR yourself right now!*  
**__*OMG! OMG! Move legs! Move arms! Move something!*_

"Aaarggh!" I snapped out of my inner fighting and jolted up to push him away, but I ended up knocking his head with mine. And boy did it hurt!

"Ouch!" I clutched my forehead where it ached, "Don't ever do that again."

"Hn." Neji was seriously getting on my nerves now. I turned to him so I could blast him, but I met his gaze yet again and I changed my mind at once. Instead I got up from the ground and scurried over to towards the mansion.

"Gotta go! Bye Neji! See ya later!" I nervously told him from over my shoulder as I ran away.

Once inside my room, I closed the door behind me and leaned back on it and sighed. I placed a hand over my racing heart and stared at nothing.

"_What happened back there?"_ I asked myself.

* * *

_**Sari POV:**_

"Hey there beautiful lady!" Kankuro greeted the girl as he placed a soda and a coke on the counter. The girl giggled as she billed the items and continued to talk flirtatiously at my playboy best friend.

I rolled my eyes as I watched the idiot flirt with the cashier and patiently waited for him by the door of the shop. Temari had gone out somewhere with Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba and Ino. Gaara and Matsuri had said they were going to the library to research for a school project. With the three of them gone, Kankuro and I were alone in the mansion and it kind of boring, so we decided to go for a walk. So now here we were, stopping by this shop to get some drinks but Kankuro obviously came to flirt as well.

"Sari! Heads up!" Kankuro threw the coke can at me and I caught it without breaking a sweat.

"You know," I opened my coke can as we walked out and faced him, "You should really stop flirting with every girl you meet. Karma will hit you back."

"Tch. What's the worse they can do?" he asked with an air of confidence.

"Oh I dunno… _kill_ you?" I told him sarcastically.

"Che. As if."

I rolled my eyes yet again and took a sip of my coke, "I'm serious. You really should stop. You're playing with their feelings."

He looked at me with amusement and it confused me. "What?" I asked him

"You _like_ me," he stated matter-of-factly.

I scoffed at him, "Puh-lease!"

"Aww come on! Admit it. You. Like. Me"

I smacked him and said, "Dream on lover boy!"

We both burst out laughing when we met each others' gaze, since we weren't serious in the least. But somehow, in my heart I felt like something was wrong. It was as if something was piercing me. The unnatural feeling troubled me but I bottled it up.

* * *

_**What will happen with Itachi's and Chisayi's Music project? Will Matsuri ever tell Gaara? Who is Ino really falling for? Why didn't Neji pull away from Tenten when they both fell down? Will hanabi ever tell Konohamaru?**_

_**Well this chapter seriously took longer than i thought it would to write it.  
**__**I think it'll be quite a while before i write a next chapter to this since i don't really have a plot to it yet. I have ideas but no order into which i should relay them in. **_


	9. Ch9 The Rumour, A Meeting and A Spark

_**(IX)The Rumour, A Meeting and A Spark.**_

* * *

**You're my enemy and I may never forgive you,  
but I'm grateful for your existence.  
Because if you've never done what you did,  
I wouldn't have become the person I am today.**

_-Tenten Hua-_

* * *

_**Friday after school:**_

* * *

_**Naruto POV:**_

"Eh~ Where's Moegi? Isn't she walking home with us?" I asked both my cousin brothers as we walked out of school towards home.

"She said something about Hanabi being upset," Nagato nii-san explained, "so she went over to the Hyuuga compound."

"Come to think of it, Hanabi's been acting weird lately," Yahiko nii-san said staring up at the sky.

Silence was hammering my ears while we strolled though the pavements. Thoughts about the gossips that had been going around school the whole week nagged me. I tried to think of a reason for someone to start such a rumour, but I couldn't come up with one.

"Who do you think started it?" I wondered at loud.

My cousins turned to face me and Yahiko nii-san asked, "Started what little brother?"

"That rumour. About the girls' old nickname," I wrinkled my nose in disdain when I told them, "It's bothering them a lot…"

Nagato nii-san sighed, "Not one of our friends, that's for sure and I can't really think of anyone else."

"It must be someone who had been there during those days…" Yahiko suggested, placing his hands into his pockets.

"I'm worried about the girls. Hinata-chan always tense up when she hears someone calling them that," I told my cousins with concern clear in my voice.

And I was. Concerned I mean. The girls had been here for barely two weeks yet there where already dozens of rumours and gossips roaming our school. They didn't really care about them except that one scandal in particular. The back-fence talking about their old nickname, the one that they earned after that incident...

Yahiko nii-san interrupted my thoughts, "Someone must still be holding a grudge."

I grunted at what he said, "Grudge? For Kami-sama's sake it wasn't even them who…" I stopped myself from telling. I didn't want my mind wondering off to that dreadful day. It's not worth it and it's the past.

"We know Naruto," Nagato nii-san said ruffling my already messy hair, "But that's not what Yahiko meant."

I looked at them with a confused face and they just snickered. Out of the blue Yahiko nii-san became serious again, "I was talking about what happened after that… A grudge on what the girls did out of anger."

"Ohh…" I stopped in my tracks just as those days replayed in my mind. It was as clear as day. Almost if it was happening at the very moment. The reminiscing made me contort my face in hatred for all that had happened. Gnarling, I spoke up, "It's still not their fault…"

They looked back at me from over their shoulder and Nagato spoke up, "Exactly. But you know what _they_ are like…"

I reluctantly nodded at him and noticed Yahiko nii-san looking up at the sky again as we strolled on, "The seven deadly girls… Even after all these years it still haunts them."

A hiss escaped my mouth when he said the antipathetic moniker that torments our friends. _The seven deadly girls…_

* * *

_**(After school) At the Uchiha compound:**_

* * *

_**Sasuke POV:**_

Chisayi had come over to our house today. Said she had been paired up with Itachi for the music project and he had asked her to come here so they could work on it. They'd been in the music room for hours and came down to the kitchen to grab a bite to eat.

"So you _will_ be there for the party tomorrow right?" I asked Chisayi dryly.

She just moved her head up and down since her mouth was busy chewing her onigiri.

"What's it to you little brother?" Itachi looked at me whilst taking a spoonful of domburi.

I smirked, really loving the idea of being able to tease my brother. I've never dreamed that this day would come. "I can't wait to see your drooling face once you see what she'll be wearing for the Masquerade Ball at school tomorrow."

Chisayi choked on her food, causing Itachi to try and penetrate me with his eyes. Ah the sweet, sweet feeling of seeing my dear brother this way. Now i know why Itachi likes to tease me all the time. I couldn't get enough of it. After years of being tortured by him, I finally get my chance to repay him. And repay him I will.

"Heh. I'll bet you won't take your eyes off of you_ girlfriend_," I was having so much fun that I completely forgot about the dangos in my hand.

"Little brother she's not my girlfriend," He said in his warning tone, but his eyes showed he was hurt. I felt kind of bad, but not enough to stop.

"You mean not yet." I flatly pointed out.

Chisayi was squirming uncomfortably on her seat, just as I had anticipated. This girl liked my brother and I'm going to do whatever it takes to bring them together. Itachi and I might always be on each others' nerves and always competing, but we loved each other. Yeah, it's weird hearing myself say that even if it's not out loud. Either way, I want him to be happy. He's been alone for too long…

Besides, I like Chisayi. She'd make a _really_ cool sister-in-law.

"Brother, go find Sakura if you're feeling all lovey dovey," Itachi simply stated. I snorted.

"She's my best friend. I don't look at her that way."

"Sure you don't. That's why you try to kill every boy that flirts with her at school."

I glared at him. He was changing the subject! I am_ so_ not letting him win this game. "Hn. As her best friend I'm obliged to protect her. But I don't see why you tend to do the same towards Chisayi."

"Little brother you bett-," He began saying but was interrupted.

Chisayi had placed her hand on my brother's shoulder. I smirked when I caught a glimpse of Itachi's reaction before he gained his composure again. He looked _so _shocked and pleased at same time. My brother was in love. Itachi was in love. I couldn't stop replaying such a thought in my head, because I had always thought of it as an impossible thing. But now here he is, in love…

"Sasuke, we're just friends okay?" Chisayi smiled at me but her voice cracked the tiniest bit. I guess she's just as hurt as my brother about the fact that they're _just friends._

'_Che. I'm going to change that soon enough,'_ I told myself.

"Hn." I shrugged at her and bit on my cooled dango.

"Foolish little brother" Itachi said and earned a glare from me. He shrugged back.

'_Tsk_._ You'll soon be in the clouds Itachi. Just you wait. And then you'll leave me & my love life alone. Not that I have one of course' I said in my head __once more._

* * *

_**At the Mall:**_

* * *

"Phew! I'm _exhausted!_" Ino complained, wiping imaginary sweat off of her forehead with the back of her hand.

Rolling her eyes at the drama queen, Sakura spoke, "Well I'm hungry. Let's have an afternoon snack."

A chorus of _sures_ and _yeahs_ came from her 4 of her friends whilst the other two shook their head.

"Me and Mat's are just gonna go check out a few more stores," Sari told her friends, but when her friends looked bemused Matsuri tried to explain, "We need accessories to go with our gowns."

"ohh…" Ino said glowing when light dawned on them, "Alright then. Just meet us at the food court then."

"Bye girls!" Hinata waved at the two as they walked away from the rest them.

"So anyone else gonna wander off?" Temari asked sardonically, looking from Sakura to Ino to Hinata to Tenten. When they chorused 'no', they girls joined arms and headed towards the food court.

The girls had been in the mall for hours shopping for ball gowns to wear for the Masquerade Ball tomorrow night. It's held to celebrate this year's new Akatsuki members and everyone in school was overly enthused about it. After all, it's not every day a girl gets to be all glamorous for school. True, the boys aren't too happy about having to wear tuxes but it's still a major event and every student is attending it.  
These seven had turned dozens of shops upside down just to search for that perfect gown, but after discovering the comfortable yet elegant ensemble, the girl's hard work had paid off.

_**._.-._.-._.-._.-._-._.**_

Upon reaching the food court, the girl abruptly stopped. "It's too crowded. I can't even see a spare table." Ino informed her friends.

"Now what do we do?" Tenten asked and Hinata suggested for them to just buy something and they can eat it in the limo on their way home. The others agreed and so they went over to the pizza stall because they were craving western food.

"We'd like to or-," Sakura stopped talking when she recognized the person behind the stall. Her emerald eyes darkened.

"YOU!"

"What are _you_ doing here?"

"_Grrr_- so you're not _**dead**_ yet."

"_Bitch_…"

"Well, well, well…" The purplish-haired girl behind the stall crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at the girls in front of her, "So the rumours were true. The 7 deadly girls _are _back after all."

* * *

_**Back at the Uchiha compound:**_

* * *

_**Itachi POV:**_

That Sasuke is up to something and I have a _really_ bad feeling about it. He had the nerve to_ try_ and embarrass me in front of Chisayi but to his disappointment it didn't work the way he thought it would. Or at least I think it didn't. But then again… that smirk of his... He's definitely trying to do something and I'm going to find out what. Just you wait and watch little brother!

"Hey Itachi…?" Chisayi asked me as we walked back to the music room after eating. I twisted my head to look at her and saw her staring at her feet and twiddling with her fingers.

"Hn?"

"I-I…" Her cheeks were turned a shade of red before she took a deep breath and went on, "W-why'd Sasuke say…" She misshaped her beautiful face as she thought of the right words to say. She didn't need to though. I already knew what she meant and I really didn't want to answer it. I was going to. Not answer her I mean, but decided against it.

Sighing, I ended her struggle by speaking up, "It's because I…"

I was going to admit it. I was going to tell her I kind of like her, but my heart starting pounding and I was almost afraid that she could hear it against the silence we were in. Observing her as she kept on writhing in discomfort, I died and went to heaven. I mean it when I say I couldn't take my eyes off of her and that I became desperate to wrap my arms around her just so I could relief her from perplexities. Noticing her luscious pink lips I couldn't help but think of how it would feel on mine.  
My own thoughts alarmed me. It had only been a week since I met her yet here i am all tingly from adoration and the sensation of sparks girl breaks down my Uchiha walls by just simply _being _there. She makes me _feel _like another person. A person that was buried deep in me but never came out until _she _arrived. I wonder if this is how my foolish little brother feels around the little cherry blossom?

"You what, Itachi?" She asked me as she locked her amber eyes with my onyx ones. Her soft voice were music to my ears...

Oh god those _eyes_ just made me fall in deeper into the hole of devotion. Just looking at it eased me. It made me feel complete. I understand it all now. Yahiko was telling the truth when he said love isn't a weakness but rather the strength that keeps you alive and makes you feel like you belong. Having someone love you back makes it all the more worthwhile._ She's _my first love.

I can't stand it anymore. I _have_ to tell her. She might or might not like me back, but at least knowing that I told her would give me relief. I hopes it will anyway. Although if she turned me down… I don't even know if I could take the blow.

Dismissing the negativity I opened my mouth to tell her. To admit it all to her, but it just my luck that someone would chose that _exact_ moment to pop out of nowhere and disrupt everything.

"ITACHI! Sasuke told me you brought a girl home!" My mom yelled from the distance, her voice full of wrath and merciless, "_**Why **_didn't you tell me?"

"Mom she's just here because we have a school project. We've been paired up," I explained to her with hidden annoyance once she was standing in front of me and Chisayi.

My mother smacked me on the head. "Mom! **What** was _that _for?" I asked her through gritted teeth whilst I rubbed my head where she had hit me.

"You are _finally _bringing a girl home and you don't **tell** me?" She placed her hand on her hips. Murderous intent clear on her face, "What kind of son **_are_ **you?"

"U-uh…umm… Hi, Mrs. Uchiha?" Chisayi tried to hide her delicacy behind her smile and flushed cheeks. I am really grateful to her for taking my mom's crazy attention away from me.

"Oh my! So you're Chisayi! You're a beautiful girl. No wonder Itachi here likes you!" Her dangerous aura had dissipated just like that.

Ok maybe what she did was a bad idea…

"MOM!" I gave my mother a 'what-are-you-doing' look. Uchiha style. Meaning to anyone else it would seem like I was indifferent, but my mom would understand.

"Oh shut up Itachi!" It's back. Her perilous face was back when she faced me. But then she looked Chisayi up and down and her cheeriness replaced her earlier emotion. "So! Tell me about yourself! Your likes, dislikes…"

My mom went on and on as she dragged a confused and nervous Chisayi away from me. I was left standing there in the hallway, staring at their back as they disappeared.

'First my brother and now my mom... _What is __**with**__ my family and their unnecessary excitement just because I brought a girl to our house?'_ I thought to myself with exasperation as I walked after them.

* * *

_**Back to the Mall:**_

* * *

"Well, well, well…" The purplish-haired girl behind the stall crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at the girls in front of her, "So the rumours were true. The 7 deadly girls _are _back after all."

"You've no right to call us that!" Sakura exploded at the girl.

"Che! Says who?" the girl scoffed as she rolled her eyes with irritation.

Temari's fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles where white, Ino's blue eyes narrowed threateningly and Hinata's teeth looked as if it could break any minute from the way she gritted them. Tenten however had slapped the girl causing her to shriek in pain and drawing in futile attention to them.

"_What_ is **wrong** with you girls!" the girl growled at them whilst she rubbed her now red cheek, "You're still _ruthless!"_

"THANKS TO YOU!" the five girls yelled at her scornfully.

Murmurs throughout the crowded food court made the girls lower their voices but the murderous tone never left.

"_**You**_ made us that way!" Temari slammed her hand on the stall, "after you…" She squeezed her eyes shut when a tear rolled down her cheek.

"You're _worse_ than us," Ino snarled at the girl with purple hair.

Hinata, who'd been quite, spoke up with a tone you'd never expect a shy girl to use. It was intimidating and rang with danger. "Or have you forgotten what _you've done?"_

The five friends watched the girl insolently. They really, really hated this girl. Never in their life did they think they'd see this girl's face again. No. Not after all she'd done… The companions kept their deleterious gazes on the girl while her facial expressions changed from showing guilt to remorse to dread and finally back to conceit.

"No, I didn't. But, I don't care."

Forget hate. They can seriously kill this girl right here, **right** now.

"I'm out of here," Sakura declared through constricted teeth and stomped away. The aura emitting from the rest of the girls was cold, dark and thirsted for blood. It frightened the girl in the pizza stall as she watched them stalk away. She didn't show it though. She wasn't going to allow her past ruin her future. Not now, not ever.

.

_**OOMPH!**_

Sakura harshly jerked someone's shoulder on her way out of the food court, but she didn't care. She needed to get out of there. She needed to cool down or else who knows what she might do.

Matsuri was about to yell at the person who jerked her but stopped in her tracks when she caught a glimpse of pink hair. Sari and her made their way to the food court to meet up with the others but it seemed like they were heading out already.

"Hey what's up her?" Sari diverted her attention from Sakura to her friends standing in front of her, "Scratch that. What's up with _all_ of you?"

She was replied with silence and daggered looks. No. The looks weren't meant for her at all and she knew that. Looking over at where they had come from, her eyes burned with rage. "Is that…"

"…Namitaki," Matsuri finished for her with a growl and pure hatred. Their past was coming back to them...

* * *

**Aaaargh! Itachi, itachi, itachi... ahh when will he get to tell her? And who's this Namitaki ? What _happened_ five years ago? WHO is Namitaki and what did she do?**

**Buh-bye folks! xD**


	10. Ch10 A Night of Good & Bad

_**(X) A Night of Good & Bad.**_

* * *

_**Your kiss, it made me smile.  
Heart strumming like a guitar,  
the sweet surprise lasted a while.  
But, now I **__**have**__** to know who you are.**_

_-Naruto Uzumaki-_

* * *

The Ball had begun half an hour ago and the gym, where it was taking place, was almost packed up with kids dancing, jiving, eating, conversing and basically just having fun. Since it was a modern theme, the gym was decorated with flowers, tulle, twinkling lights and there was even a disco ball in the middle of the dance floor.

"Where _**are**_ they?" a very worried girl paced in front of her friends. She was wearing a halter neck, beaded and floor-length dress.

Her cousin brother, Sasori rolled his eyes and impatiently said, "They'll _be_ here, Konan."

And as if on cue, the whole room fell silent. Numerous heads turned towards the gym doors as it swung open and a cold breeze blew in. Seven undoubtedly fabulous looking girls strolled in, hand in hand. Half of their faces might have been covered by masquerade masks, but everyone knew who they were; the so-called seven deadly girls. It was an irony however, seeing as how, tonight they surpassed even the gentle and charming features of an angel. Explicitly gorgeous, graceful with each step they took and an amiable aura floated around them.

Every boy in the decorated room gawped at them even if they may be related, friends or merely strangers and school mates to the girls. To them all it was a sight worth seeing. It would be a lie to say that the stoic ones' eyes didn't linger on certain girls. Envious stares from girls wished to penetrate them, excluding their friends of course, who instead, beamed brightly as the girls approach the rest of their groupie.

* * *

"Troublesome," a certain lazy genius yawned but stifled it at once when his gaze landed on a girl grinning at him. She wasn't in her signature four pony tails tonight. Her hair was let loose and curled into a complicated style. His yawn turned to a smile as he spoke again, "But, you know how to make an entrance. I'll give you that." He could see her eyes exaggeratedly roll behind that antique mask.

"A 'nice to see you' would have been welcoming," she said sardonically, but he didn't care, because what she said next would be treasured in his heart for as long as he lives.

"You're unnaturally handsome tonight lazy ass," Temari smirked with honest mischief. He just stuffed his hands into his pants pockets and shook his head, a smile never faltering in his face.

"Yeah, well nothing compared to you, Temari."  
This time she smiled. Not smirk or grin or anything else she usually does. She actually smiled and he felt like the happiness man on earth. Not that he'd ever admit it of course.

.

* * *

"Hinata-chan! You look AMAZING!" Naruto declare as he took hold of her right hand and twirled her around. She was so giddy with excitement that she didn't faint but rather laughed a merry laugh that sounded like bells of heaven to the blonde guy in tux.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun," She meekly said; her head hung low from a sudden embarrassment. Feeling a hand touch her cheek, the girl looked up and saw him grinning at her, "Why thank me for your beauty?"

Something in her screamed with the feeling of love and she smiled at him gratefully. Tonight, she's not going to let her shy self get in the way and ruin the perfect moment for her. She was going to have fun and enjoy every ounce of it with the man of her dreams.  
Naruto might be oblivious to her feelings, but even so, he had always had the knack for making her feel good about herself. He was like the bright sun shining down on her, enlivening each and every dark corner in her life. She was grateful to him for it. No scratch that. She loved him for it.

"Come on, let's get you some punch and me some ramen!" he exclaimed and gently dragged her, sniggering, to the beverage table.

* * *

.

"Whoa? Ino is that _you_?" Kiba asked with genuine surprise. The girl was wearing a blue tiered dress with its skirt longer at the back and the front only reaching to her knees. Ino sarcastically curtsied before the boy, "Yes milord, 'tis I, Ino Yamanaka." When she straightened up from the gesture, both of them fell into fits of laughter.

"Excuse me, but may I have this dance," a voice interrupted their guffaws. Recognizing it, Ino twirled around to see a hand extended to her, palm facing up and the other hand folded behind the person. Ino was in ecstasy when she saw it belonged to Sai. Smiling politely and trying to calm her beating heart, she placed her hand on top of his and said, "Yes, you may."

She turned to Kiba and told him that she'll see him later before going to the dance floor with her crush. It was a moment she'd never dreamed of coming true. However, one boy was both shattered and glad at the same time whilst he watched the two sway against the music; Glad because Ino was having her wish come true right before her eyes and shattered because it wasn't him who was granting the wishes of the girl.

"You should really tell her Kiba. I can see you're falling for her more than you wish to," He heard Choji say from behind him, but he didn't dare tear his gaze away from Ino.

"I can't," He explained, "But as long as she's happy… then so am I."

Choji sighed, "I still say it's worth a try." Kiba just remained silent.

.

* * *

"Hey Hyuuga! Grumpy as ever I see," Tenten joked at her best friend who, by the way, was sulking in a corner while he leaned on a table and watched the dance floor.  
He jolted up ever so slightly before turning to face her and millions of thoughts rushed through his mind at what he saw. Neji hadn't really paid any attention to what the girl had been wearing until now. Tenten was wearing a grayish silver and beaded one-shoulder ruche gown. It complimented the girlish curves that she usually hides beneath all those baggy tomboyish shirts of hers.

"Oi! Neji! What's wrong with you?" Tenten waved her hand in front of the said prodigy's face. He snapped out of his thoughts but kept his gaze running up and down her, trying to comprehend that this was Tenten. He'd never even known that his best friend had medium length hair! She looked incredibly stunning tonight.

The girl noticed her friend observing her outfit and without hesitation she asked, "Does it look bad? Ino literally went up my throat and forced me into wearing th-."

"It's perfect," Neji interrupted her blabbering. He'd been taken aback by her question and mentally smacked himself for making her think as much. Sure she had asked him with a smile and no hurt rang in her voice, but Neji knew Tenten and her eyes said otherwise. She might not obsess about her looks but she's still a girl and she does care in a way. Besides, he meant what he said.

She smiled a smile he'd never seen her use and said, "Thank you."

.

* * *

'_Tch. Annoying.'_ The youngest Uchiha thought to himself as he watched, as Naruto calls him, Bushy brows flirt with Sakura. He knows Sakura isn't flirting back but rather just being the polite the girl she is. But still, it irked the young prodigy, hearing the flirtatious compliments Lee was giving his best friend and it annoyed him even more when his noticed from the corner of his eyes, that the girl had a slight blush visible on her cheeks.

"Ah! My, my, Saku-chan! You look ever so youthful tonight!"

"U-uh… Thank you I guess."

"My youthful cherry blossom, you should be dancing the night away!"

"Eh- I don't know about that Lee…"

"Come! I shall escort you to the youthful dance floor!"

"Umm… Thanks but no thaaa-." The girl never got to finish her sentence since Uchiha had pulled her away and was now leading her to the dance floor, well away from the creepy Lee. (In his opinion anyway)

The pinkette was confused but complied, though her gaze never tore away from the gentle hands clutching her gloved ones. Contact of their hands was sending unusual tingles all over her body and she was shocked about it  
. Sasuke had half dragged her to the other side of the dance floor so that there'd be no disruptions and before they knew it, they were entangled and swaying with the soft music.

"Sasuke, why'd you do that?" she asked, looking up at him and emerald met onyx

"Hn."

"Sasuke?" she tried getting an answer once more.

Without anymore hesitation, the boy replied, "I have obligations as your best friend." Sakura's eyes were questioning him once more because she didn't understand. Sighing, the raven haired boy explained, "I can't let flirts near you or else who knows what they might do."

She knitted her brows at him as they kept on dancing, "The others don't seem to have a problem with it. Not even nii-san"

"They don't worry as much as I do," He informed her indifferently. Sakura just rolled her eyes and gave up, knowing he wouldn't give a straight answer. It's not like she didn't believe him, but she couldn't help but feel a hidden meaning in the answer. She shrugged it off and focused on their dancing once more.

.

* * *

"_**Excuse me. Quiet down for a while kids"**_ a blaring voice requested through a microphone. Noise subdued and everyone focused their attention to their principal standing on the stage set up on one side of the large decorated gym. When she was sure she had the room's acknowledgement, Tsunade continued on with her speech, "_**As everybody in this room knows, tonight is a special event for the school. Right here, right now, we'll officially be announcing the new members of the Akatsuki-." **_ Hoots and cheers intervened with her speech but she patiently waited for it to subside.  
_**"When we announce your name, please step onto the stage so we can entrust you your team uniform and badges. So without further ado, Kurenai and Asuma, come on over annunciate this year's members!"**_

Cheers and applause erupted as Tsunade went aside and let the two teachers take their place on stage. Kurenai had said a small speech before calling upon the new Akatsuki and one by one they hopped onto the stage.

"_**The new members for this year, people! Congratulations and I know you'll all do great!"**_Asuma screamed on the mic and the room erupted once more. Standing on the elegant stage were Itachi, Deidara, Konan, Yahiko, Nagato, Tobi, Kakazu, Hidan, Zetsu, Sasori and Kisame. They students were surprised to have only one female member but they didn't really care. The newly formed Akatsuki were all strong and smart. Everyone was sure that they're going to love them. Several wolf whistles, hoots, thunderous applause and deafening 'congratulations' were heard from their fellow school mates. It made the new team beam with pride and gratitude.

"Tobi is loved! All of us are loved!" Tobi jumped up and down in joy with his arms flailing around. They laughed fondly at the weird but really kind boy.

* * *

"Hey Deidara?"

The said teen whirled around to face the owner of the voice and he grinned down at her. "What's up Shizashi?"

"_They're_ what's up," she replied, pointing over at the two figures standing not that far away from them. They were at separate corners, both bored to death. The pair had been stealing glances at one another the whole night yet they didn't go near the other let alone converse.

Deidara understood what Shizashi meant and knew that she's planning something. "What are you gonna do about it un?"

"Get them to dance," She articulated.

The blonde boy's eyes gleamed. He liked her idea and would bet anything in the world just to see what would happen. Besides, those two stubborn friends of theirs just simply needed a push. This was definitely worth it.

"So will you help me?" she looked hopefully at him and in return he furrowed his brows, "What's in it for me?"

She didn't falter nor waste time to answer. "I'll owe you one."

Deidara brightened up, "You got a deal!"

.

* * *

Ino looks back and forth from her lazy genius of a friend and Temari. Not surprisingly, Shikamaru was just yawning his head off whilst leaning against a wall, his legs crossed at his ankles, and completely oblivious to what was happening. Choji was by his side- no surprise there- munching on something.

The girl half grunted half scoffed as she stomped over to her two friends and smacked Shikamaru right on his head, causing him to jerk up and give her a daggered look. "Troublesome. What do you want?"

"You don't even see that do you?" she stated instead of questioned while she tapped her high heeled foot impatiently on the floor.

"What a drag Ino. Just spill it out," Shikamaru ordered her lazily, returning to his the position he was in a couple of seconds ago.

Before she could completely lose patience, she harshly pointed to her right using her perfectly manicure finger and said, "Temari and another boy. _Flirting_."

Shikamaru bolted up and focused his attention to where his over dramatic friend was pointing at. He felt a pang of jealousy curse through him and his hands clenched. There, by the refreshment table, was Temari along with a boy. He distinctly remembers that the boy's name was Takeshi and was in the same class as Temari; a junior. The lazy genius froze on his spot and glared when he saw that both persons were having a laugh at something Takeshi had said. But that's not all there was. Takeshi was so awfully close to the girl that their shoulders were brushing and she _didn't _even mind! He just couldn't believe it! Temari. _His_ Temari of all people was allowing another guy to flirt with her! Ok so maybe she doesn't have a clue about being his, but still.

And before he knew it, he had lumbered over to the guy and Temari, rage burning his eyes.

.

"Crap Ino, you've done it this time," Choji told her as he watched Shikamaru talk with the boy. His jaws were tense and he most certainly did not look lazy at all that moment.

"Che. He's too lazy to make a move and now he's paying for it," Ino proclaimed. She saw Shikamaru drag an aggravated Temari to dance, leaving behind a perturb Takeshi.

"You better hope Temari won't kill you for this," Choji taunted the blond by his side, "Kiba might not be there to save your sorry ass."

"Tsk. I don't need him to be my knight in shining armor," Ino crossed her arms and held her nose high, "Beside, Temari should be gratified. I did her a _favour_."

Choji shook his head in disappointment and continued on eating, but from the corner of his eyes, he saw Ino dolefully glancing over at Kiba, who was squabbling with Kankuro yet again. Gaara was trying hard to ignore the two while Matsuri and Sari purposefully chose to be oblivious to their existence and just had fun talking with one another.

.

* * *

"Tell me again how we ended up like this?" Itachi frowned, not allowing onyx to meet amber.

Chisayi sighed and said, "We've been blackmailed. By Deidara and Shizashi," She groaned, "I can't believe that girl!"

Itachi looked around and spied Deidara annoyingly grinning at him, Shizashi by his side. The Uchiha remained indifferent and rested his hands on Chisayi's hips, "I don't know what your friend blackmailed you with but I know you and I both don't want our secrets out. Might as well comply… They're still spying on us."

The girl in front of him of him nodded and placed her hands on his shoulders, "It's just one little dance right. No biggie."

"Hn"

Howbeit, it wasn't just 'one little dance' to the stoic Uchiha. No, it was something he'd want to treasure because right now, he's having that picture-perfect-moment with the girl he's fallen in love with. He stayed calm and in control on the outside, but in reality he wasn't. Nervousness tormented him. Little did he know that it was exactly the same for the girl in front of him.

* * *

A dainty figure slipped into the room without catching unnecessary attention. She scanned the room and not a moment too soon, her eyes landed on the boy she was looking for. As she approached him, she noticed that Gaara, Matsuri and Sasuke were by his side.

.

"I can't believe Hinata-chan left early and didn't even tell me! I don't care if she was exhausted or had some other stuff to do, I just wish she told me…" Naruto brooded and whined to his.

"Dobe. She left. Get over it," Sasuke said, clearly losing patience.

"But teme!"

"Hn."

Matsuri sighed, "If you had made a move tonight, she might have stayed."

Naruto looked at her as if she'd grown a head or two, "Are you screwed? Hinata doesn't like me!"

"Just shut up already Naruto," Gaara ordered him monotonously.

"Hmph!" And with that Naruto crossed his arms and kept muttering under his breath. He suddenly noticed someone coming towards him and he looked up. It was a girl wearing a white-fuchsia strapless tulle ball gown and her orange hair was in an up do. Even though the top half of her face was hidden behind the mask, this girl was obviously stunning.

She held out her hand and Naruto shook it. As they did so she said, "Dance with me?"

He was taken aback and was trying to form an answer in his mouth. Unfortunately for him, it was Sasuke who replied, "Just go already dobe."

Naruto reluctantly nodded and escorted her to where the rest of his school mates were swaying in tune to the romantic music.

When she wrapped her arms around his neck, she said, "It's nice to see you Naruto."

He twirled her around and asked, "Who are you? I don't think I've ever seen you before…"

"Trust me, you have."

"Really? When?"

"All the time, Naruto... You just have to look hard."

He furrowed his brows at her, "What do you mean?"

But instead of giving an answer, what the girl did next took him by surprise.

.

* * *

"Alright!" Shizashi high fived Deidara!

"That was so funny! They don't even know we threatened both of them by telling that we'd spill about their feelings for each other!" Deidara chuckled.

The girl looked over at her best friend and the guy she was dancing with. They looked so cute and almost as if made for each other. Neither of them spoke, but she could tell that they were savoring the moment. She smiled at the bigger picture she could see, "It was definitely worth it."

Blue met Black when the two stared into each other's eyes. It was as if suddenly they were falling and being absorb into each other. Shaking of the feeling, Deidara spoke again, "Itachi is going to kill me after this."

"Nah- He'll be too busy hanging around my friend," Shizashi giggled, tearing her eyes away from the boy.

"You so owe me for this," he reminded her and she nodded with a smile.

"I know."

.

* * *

_**Naruto POV:**_

_***She's kissing us!*  
**__*And it feels so…right.*  
__***Baka! You like Hinata remember!*  
**__*I know Inner!*  
__***Pull away from her then!*  
**__*I wish this was Hinata instead*  
__***Get away from her already!***_

"NARUTO!" I heard someone hollering at me from across the room and I pulled away from the kiss. I didn't say anything because I was still in shock and just watched her panicking.

"I-I need to g-go. I-I'm sorry," She turned around and was about to go, but I held onto her wrists.

"Who are you?" I asked her once more, because I was getting really curious now. The kiss… I know I shouldn't feel like this but it felt good. It's as if this girl was the one for me.

She looked around her , as if expecting someone to pounce on her any minute. "I really need to go."

"Just tell me who you are! Please." I was _so_ not letting her go until she tells me. She can't just kiss me and leave.

"Open your eyes Naruto. You know who I am." And with that she jerked her hand away from my grip and ran out the ball. I was still staring at the door she had gone out of when Sari came over to me with Kankuro and Kiba.

"Who was that girl?" Sari asked, also looking at the door.

I didn't turn to face her when I whispered my reply to myself, "I don't know …"

I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't hear what Kankuro and Kiba had said next, but I didn't care. I _need_ to find out who that girl is.

.

* * *

_**Sasori POV:**_

I was having a drink when suddenly something vibrated in my pants pocket. Keeping the glass aside, I reached for my phone and flipped it open to answer.

My uncle's remorseful and urgent voice kept ringing in my ear. The things he had said cut me deep and tears stung my eyes. This can't be true can it? There's just no way…

But I can't push reality away when it's right in front of my eyes.

"Nii-san what's wrong?" Konan asked me and suddenly everyone's attention was on me.

Shutting my phone away, I answered them with a croak, "Sakura, Konan… we need to go."

For some reason they didn't say anything and I saw fear in their eyes. I couldn't blame them. Without another word, the three of us rushed out of the ball, leaving our perplexed friends behind. They'll come after us soon enough though.

This night was not ending the way I had hoped it would…

* * *

**_Well this was a boring chapter... anyways, Who was that girl that kissed Naruto? Who does Ino really like? WHat's up with Shizashi and Deidara? Why and where was Sasori and his cousins going to?_**

**_xD_**


	11. Ch11 The Loop in Time

_**(XI) The Loop In Time.**_

* * *

_**I LOVE MY MOM  
No matter what we go through  
No matter how much we argue.  
Because in the end,  
she's always there for me.**_

_-Sakura Haruno-_

* * *

_**Choji POV:**_

_**Grrrrrrrgg**_

"Eh- Choji? I think you better go get something to eat while we wait," Shikamaru suggested. Waiting here at the hospital for Hitomi-san's results made me forget about my food for a while, but I don't really mind.

"Nah- It's fine Shikamaru. I'll wait for the results first…" I informed him, my hand rubbing my stomach.

"Cho, just go and eat. Please…" Ino half heartedly pleaded with unshed tears in her baby blue eyes, "While you're at it, bring me some chocolates."

I looked around the room me and my friends were patiently sojourning in. Noticing Sakura curled up in a ball on a chair with Naruto and Sasuke by her side, I sighed and nodded my head at my two best friends.

"Come on Choji, Hana and me will go with you," Shino told me whilst I got up from my chair and the three of us headed down to the hospital's cafeteria. As we walked , I zoned out on the two love birds at my side.

We'd been in the hospital for hours ever since we got the news and rushed here at once. Right now it's almost 2 am and yet we still haven't been informed about Hitomi-san's health. What we've been told was that Sakura's mom was on her way home from their choreography studio when her car was knocked over by a truck driven by a drunk driver. All 29 of us are here, including Lee, Chisayi, Konohamaru, Udon and Shizashi. Teens in ball gowns and tuxes running into the hospital in the middle of the night were apparently an entertaining and shocking sight here. Our parents soon arrived as well along with Hinata in her casual wear because she had left the ball way too early. We ended up crowding the waiting rooms, but no one actually cared about that. Minds are in midst of exploding from the excruciating bid for the health results. Sakura hadn't cried at all, but she hadn't spoken a single word either. Yahiko was comforting Konan while trying to keep himself composed and Sasori was… in a whole different universe of his own. It hurts seeing my friends like this. Without a doubt the ones most affected by this are the 7 girls who just got back. _Every_ time, someone always somehow ends up like this and it's what they've been trying to get away from for 5 years…

"Hey cutesy! What do you need?" the sweet voice snapped me out of my thoughts and I noticed that I was already at the cashier.

Rubbing the nape of my neck awkwardly with my left hand I gave my order, "Two bags of chips and…Just a sec." I craned my head to search for those two who were supposedly to be with me right now. Spotting them at a table talking, I hollered over at them, "Hey Hana! How many chocolates do we need?"

She turned around to face me with a weak smile, "There's 30 teenagers and I don't know how many adults. Just buy some."

"Che. Nice help you were," I muttered to myself as I faced the girl standing behind the counter once more, "and 30 chocolates."

She giggled as she punched in my order at the computer and then her flirtatious eyes locked with mine. I searched my surrounding, thinking she might be flirting with some other boy behind me. When I saw none, it only made me feel more awkward. No girl had ever flirted with me before.

"Here you go," she handed me my food with a smile, "Come back some time."

Her cheeks were turning the slightest shade of pink and I felt my face heating up. Nervously, I took the bag containing our food her and said, "Uh- yeah…"

"Hey Cho, everything ok?" I felt someone approach me from behind and place a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah, Shino. Let's go."

I turned my back on the girl and made my way towards the waiting room with Hana and Shino. But, before I fully left the canteen, I glanced over my shoulder at her and I saw her waving furiously. Grinning, I waved back and I heard her say, "Bye Cho!"

* * *

_**Sakura POV:**_

She _would_ survive.

_Tick  
__**Tock**_

She _will_ survive

_Tick  
__**Tock**_

She'll _stay _alive!

_Tick  
__**Tock**_

"What is _taking_ so long?" I groaned into my palms which covered my face. Tears stung my eyes but I refused it because I _know_ my mom will survive this! Pulling my natural pink locks, I groaned again. Feeling a hand rubbing my back, I looked up and saw Mikoto-san and Kushina-san by my side.

"Why do these things always have to happen?" I asked no one in particular as I raised my legs on to my chair and buried my face into the skirt of my ball gown, "Why is it always us?"

"Sakura, honey, things happen, no one can do anything about it." It was Kushina-san voice.

I felt movement and someone occupying the seat next to me. "She'll be fine Ok? Hitomi will be fine."

Their voices sounded so unsure, so lost… My heart pounded in fear. Fear of losing my mom just like Gaara, Temari and Kankuro lost theirs 5 years ago right after that tragedy … Shaking my head away from those thoughts, I surveyed my surrounding. Friends and family crowded the waiting room. Each and every one of them white faced, blood running cold, overwrought… Heeding all these didn't help make me feel any better at all. It only made me worse.

Just when paroxysms of rage itched to leak out and make me demand my mom's condition, I saw my dad come out of the operating room. He was one of the surgeons assigned to my mom. Without even thinking about it, I untangled myself from the chair I was sitting in and was by his side in an instant.

"Dad, please tell me mom's ok," I eyed him as he slumped into a chair and eclipsed his face in his hands. Holding on to his brown hair tightly he replied, his words barely apprehensible. But, to me? It kept echoing in my head, loud and clear, causing me to freeze in place and stare at nowhere. Oxygen and blood drained out of my body.

_She's in a coma and I don't know if she'll even survive it or for how long she'll be in this state._

_She's in a coma…_

_... if she'll even survive it_

… how long she'll be in this state

…_If she'll survive it…_

…_Coma…_

"No…" My heart compressed in my chest as the words rung in my ear more and more, "_No_… **No. NO!**" My knees trembled and gave out, but I felt arms around me, not allowing me to fall. I didn't need to see to know. It was Sasuke, but right now I couldn't care less.

"Sakura everything will be Ok," I heard him console me as he carried half my weight while we stood so that I wouldn't crash to the ground. Emotions rush through me. The ones I've been so intent on keeping intact but the bad news hit me harder than anything possibly could. It shattered me mentally and I couldn't suppress them anymore. Sasuke pulled me closer into an embrace and burying my head in his chest I shed bitter tears.

"It's always the same. Someone always ends up like this," I choked out as I sobbed and sobbed, my clenched hands resting on his body. I sensed one of his arms secure around my waist and his other hand grappling my head to his thorax. It felt comforting but I just couldn't stop crying. Then out of nowhere I felt numb and cold. As if something was pulling me into darkness. I struggled to stop my eyes from flittering, but it didn't work so instead of fighting it… I succumb to it.

"SAKURA!" I heard several voices yelling before I fell, unconscious.

* * *

_**Tuesday:**_

* * *

_**Sasuke POV:**_

Sakura had woken up from unconsciousness around noon on Sunday and I was there by her side when she did. It's surprising that she ate, even if just a little. She came to school on Monday and today, but even so she barely spoke to anyone. Her emerald eyes no longer have that glimmer. It's plain, dull green now. Her hair doesn't bounce or flow, her skin is paler than usual. In other words, she's a mess and so is everyone else in our group. We haven't been like this since that day. Five years pass and now it's happening again…

"Sasuke."

Fan girls have been pestering the girls more than usual, but instead of beating the crap out of them, they just ignore the devils. Any other day me and the guys would have been grateful that they're not getting into fights. But somehow these past two days it just doesn't seem right.

"_Sasuke!"_

Right now we're here at the second Akatsuki practices and we've just been put into our teams. Sakura, Naruto and I are in one group with Kakashi as our mentor. It's surprising that not even Naruto had enough energy to be happy about it. It sucks. Being like this sucks. I just hope Hitomi san wakes up soon…

"SASUKE!"

I jolted up when I felt someone pushing me off of my seat. "What do you want dobe?"

"Look! Over there," Naruto said pointing over towards the training grounds where the girls were training. All the boys were to sit by the bleachers today and watch the girls perform their techniques. Pretty boring if you ask me.

"What about it? It's just the girls training," I pointed out flatly. He smacked my arms and I glared at him. "Look closer teme! Those fan girls are confronting them again."

This caught my attention and I strained my eyes towards the field. There I saw Sakura, Ino, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Matsuri and Sari standing in a line and in front of them were 7 fan girls. It was the devils' pose. Karin was in the center whilst Yansai, Gairi, Ami, Faye, Yamana and Fumiko stood beside her. It looked pretty intense and I was definitely not getting a good feeling about this. Those fan girls will just get beaten into a pulp if they get into a fight with our girls in this situation. Deadly aura surrounded all of them…

I made eye contact with the rest of the boys in our group, "Guys?"

"Let's go," Neji agreed and altogether we rushed down the bleacher without another word. However before we could even lay a foot on the training ground, a hand blocked our way.

* * *

_**Normal POV:**_

* * *

"Boys, let them be," Madara Uchiha said monotonously, blocking the boys' path leading to the training ground.

"Are you _crazy_?" Naruto yelled at him, trying to go around Madara without success.

"Oji-san, let us go," Sasuke ordered impassively and with a glare. Akatsuki soon gathered around Sasuke, Naruto, Neji, Shikamaru, Kankuro, Kiba and Gaara, preventing them from going any further into the trainings grounds.

"Guys, listen. We've been warning those little devils the past week, they got beaten up by the girls as well," Kisame tried to explain to them.

Itachi spoke up grimly as well, "It's them who are looking for trouble."

"What's that _supposed _to mean?" Kankuro demanded.

"They need to learn their lesson," Sasori answered with a grunt.

Gaara's face misshape in anger, "That's crazy! They'll get injured! Have you forgotten what it was like _five_ years ago?"

"No one has forgotten Gaara. But listen to what those fan girls of yours are telling to the girls," Tsunade instructed calmly, while she came up to join them at the foot of the bleachers.

Everyone did as they were told and they heard Karin's insults. "No P-I-N-K-Y! _You_ listen to _me!_ You're just as weak as you're mother! She's so fragile she can't even wake up from a lame coma! And don't even get me started on your _dad_. He's _supposed_ to be the best surgeon yet he can't even save the life of his own wife! It's _**PATHETIC!**_"

"You guys are useless bitches! All you're good at are stealing other girls' boyfriends!" Fumiko's yells could be heard all around.

The boys and the Akatsuki members growled under their breath in anger and murmurs erupted from the rest of the students sitting in the bleachers. Madara angled his head to observe the girls in the training grounds before he spoke up.

"Now you see? Someone needs to teach those girls a lesson."

"But-," Kiba started to protest but Tsunade held up her right hand, "No Kiba. Those insults are unforgivable and you know it."

"There's no stopping our girls now. Just let them handle it un," Deidara reasoned with them.

"Troublesome, but their right," Shikamaru yawned. He then looked over at the girls and noticed something, "They're seething. If you intervene, you'll be the one ending up injured."

"Hn. This is going to hurtful…" Neji folded his arms and kept his eyes on the 14 girls out in the training field.

_**BOOOM!**_

* * *

Sakura gave the secret look to her friends and they nodded their heads. Whilst she put on her black, fingerless gloves, her friends got into a stance, ready to jump away when given the signal. A cold, deadly gust of wind blew by, causing the girls' hairs to sway away.

"NOW!" Sakura yelled on the top of her lungs and she aimed her punch to the ground in front of her. The fan girls in front of them were clueless, but the Hinata, Tenten, Matsuri, Ino, Temari and Sari weren't. They knew what was going to happen and they jumped back several feet. Before the devils' pose could even comprehend, Sakura's hand made contact with the ground.

_**BOOOOOOM!**_

Gasp and cries of shock burst from the bleachers when they heard the explosion. Once the smoke and dust enveloping the training ground dissipated, their shock was increased beyond limits. The ground was uprooted and in pieces, standing in the middle of it all was a destructive looking Sakura. Her friends were behind her, in fighting stances, unaffected by the sudden massacre. However, Karin and her squad were on the ground, injured from the looks of it. They slowly got up, coughing.

"WHY YOU! YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Karin screamed in frustration and ran towards Sakura, fists aiming to hurt the pink haired girl. Sakura just stayed there, impassively waiting for the red head to come to her. Once the she was in her reach, Sakura grab hold of the girls hand and swung herself around. She ended up twisting the red head's hand behind the girls' own back. A shriek of pain from Karin raided the ears of everyone around them, but Sakura didn't even flinch.

"NEVER insult my family," Sakura told her in a menacing tone which sent shivers down Karin's back. She twisted the red head's hand once more and another cry of pain was heard. Karin's friends rushed to help her, but were soon blocked by Sakura's friends.

"No, you're fight is with me," Ino, Hinata, Tenten, Temari, Matsuri and Sari informed them simultaneously. Karin's devils faltered a bit but agreed other wise and soon enough, the girls were engaged in their own battles. Karin was obviously going against Sakura, Hinata vs. Faye, Ino against Yamana, Temari and Ami, Matsuri vs. Yansai, Tenten against Gairi and Sari up against Fumiko. The girls were fighting with the fan girls of the ones they love…

* * *

"A cross dresser can't fight," Gairi mocked Tenten.

The girl in twin buns smirked as she reached into her weapons' pouch. Slipping a shuriken in between each of her fingers, Tenten quickly threw the star like weapons toward the annoying little devil. She didn't aim it at any parts of the girl particularly, but rather just close to touching the frail body jus so she could scare her and make her point clear. And it worked like a charm.

Gairi's high pitched shrieks filled Tenten with pride, "YOU IDIOT! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME!"

"Oh so now you're telling that that I can kill you? I though you said I can't even fi-," Tenten's mocking was cut short when Gairi slapped her.

Tenten clenched both her fists and teeth. "You're going to _pay._" And with that she punched the girl in the guts, causing her to fly backwards and hit the ground. Clutching her belly, Gairi stood up and glared at the brunette. Without wasting time Gairi aimed a kick to Tenten's shin, but the brunette avoided it by jumping back.

"Seriously? Now _that's_ pathetic," Tenten goaded the girl, "a five year old could aim better than you."

"TSK! Baka! You can't win against me," Gairi retorted.

"Insults hurts doesn't it?" The brunette in twin buns stated more than questioned. It only infuriated the other girl. Kicks and punches were soon being passed back and forth.

* * *

"Get out of my **way!**" Ami growled at Temari while she tried to punch her. It was, however, blocked without much effort on Temari's part.

The girl in four pig-tails sardonically yawned, "Man, even Shikamaru gives a better fight than this and that's saying something considering he's so lazy."

"CHA! SHIKA-KUN IS NOT LAZY!" Ami raised her leg to boot Temari in her face. The dirt blonde haired girl saw this and before the other girl's limb could make contact with her face, she ducked down and using a single hand, she struck the girl's stomach and slammed her down to the ground.

"You're an idiot to say he's not lazy," Temari pointed out grimly, "I've known him since I was a kid and he's the laziest person I've ever met."

Ami rolled away from Temari and stood up. In a blink of an eye she charged at the girl with killing intent. Temari just rolled her eyes whilst she just stood there, noting the girl's movement. She saw Ami's left fist twitching, ready to punch. With a triumphant smirk, Temari placed her left hand on her hip and using her right hand, she impeded the blow.

"BAKA!" Ami yelled, out of breath and tired.

Without waiting a single second, the girl in four pig-tails thrust her fist towards Ami's jaw line.

* * *

Matsuri seized the nearest fighting pole just as her opponent grasped the another stick.

_**THWACCK!**_

The short haired brunette blocked Yansai's attack using her pole. Matsuri entangled her pole with Yansai's own and with massive force, she was able to remove it from her opponent's grip. She caught the pole in mid air and grinned at Yansai. "Not gonna work on me girlie."

"Tch, Oh yeah?" Yansai asked with an air of confidence. She quickly dropkicked Matsuri's hand that was holding her pole, causing the girl to release it out of pain. Now it was Yansai's turn to grin, "You were saying?"

The brunette didn't falter, "It's not yet over." With that she swung her pole at her antagonist, resulting in Yansai losing her footing and falling on her butt. In a haste to dodge Matsuri's next attack, Yansai only ended up hitting her head on the ground. "Uugghh!" she got up rubbing her aching skull, "BITCH!"

"Pfft! It was your own fault," Matsuri notified, "you're too clumsy for your own good."

Frustrated and gripping the pole with both hands, Yansai lunged forward, nailed one end of her pole on the ground, and used it to prop her herself up to calcitrate the smirk off of the brunette's face. Unfortunately, her limb only made contact with the pole used by Matsuri to thwart her onslaught. The brunette then jabbed Yansai on the shoulder with the end of the pole in her hands. It wasn't a hard hit, but the other girl still stumbled backwards in contact.

"I already told you it would not work on me."

"I hate you Matsuri!"

"Feeling is mutual."

The two rivals charged at each other with a barrage of pole attacks. There was neither room for mercy nor forgiveness for their hatred pumped in their veins.

* * *

"You can't win against me blondie!" Yamana exclaimed as she fell on her face when she tried to lunge at the said blonde, "Ugh!"

"Already am baka," Ino stated whilst she checked if her perfectly manicured nails were chipped, "and I didn't even do anything!"

The dark haired girl snarled in aggravation and thrust a blow to the blonde's thorax. It failed yet again when the blue eyed blonde stepped aside. Blood boiling even more, Yamana charged once more. This time she aimed to punt the other girl in the rib cage. Dodging it again, Ino looked up to the sky and sighed, "You're not much of a duelist are you? I mean come on, I'm the one who's always worrying about my looks and you're the one who's supposedly the tough one. Yet, here we are dueling and I'm already victorious without any effort."

Yamana spit on the ground and wiped her chin with the back of her hand. Standing in front of Ino, she spoke with hostility, "For years all I wanted was Kiba's attention, but I never succeeded. Then you come along with your friends and you become his whole world. If you were in _my_ shoes, how would you feel?"

"Oh Kami-sama! How many times do we have to tell you that we're all _just friends!_ We have been since birth. There's nothing more. Besides I like some other guy…" Ino explains to the dark haired girl out of annoyance. She had had enough of these fan girls and their lame false accusations.

"You might like another guy but Kiba likes _you_," Yamana growled and clenched her fist to the point it turned white. Ino was taken aback.

"Y-you're lying, Yamana. Kiba doe-,"

"No Ino, I'm not lying. Because of it, I feel like I could KILL you," the dark haired girl cut off Ino's talking. She watched the blonde's face contort from confusion to shock to pain.

When she heard the words come out of the other girl's mouth, Ino's mind was filled with hidden, agonizing memories. She didn't try to push them back down to the darkest pit of her brain. No. Instead she let them flow and resurface. It's been years…

_Manami… _

_Friends…_

…_Kiba…_

_blood. So much blood… _

…_Namitaki…_

_fights…_

_rivers of tears…_

As more and more flashbacks cross her mind, more and more tears roll down the blonde's flushed cheeks. Painful memories… Ino pulled on her hair and screamed in remorse and mortification. Her knees buckled and she just let herself fall. She shielded her face with a curtain of her long hair and just sat there trying to calm herself down. Everyone at the bleachers and Yamana just watched her sudden breakdown with curiosity. The girl couldn't be in pain since Yamana couldn't even lay a finger on her. So what was the problem?

"Hey blondie! What's wrong with you?" the dark haired girl asked. There was no chagrin in her tone. They observed while the blonde girl shoved herself off of the ground, wiping away dried tear stains from her face. On her feet again, she tied her lose hair into a tight bun and spoke up in a tone ringing with danger, "I'm not letting any more fan girls to hurt my friends. None of us will tolerate it!"

Positions were switched now. It wasn't Yamana who was attacking, it was Ino. But, unlike the dark haired girl, Ino was able to punch and kick the girl. The nice, innocent girls are long gone…

* * *

Hinata did a 360 degree turn and drop-kicked Faye on her cheek. Hair disgruntled in the process, Hinata steadied her petite body and glared at her opponent, now lying on the dirt. "Don't _ever_ say that again," the Hyuuga heiress said maliciously.

Caressing her bruised cheek, Faye repeated what she said in hopes of infuriating the raven haired girl even more. "You're sister is a slut!"

Not liking what the girl labeled her younger sister as, Hinata clenched her hand and aimed a blow at the girl's nose, but she stopped it in mid air due to what that said girl mentioned next.

"Naruto doesn't like you. He kissed another girl at the Ball on Saturday."

Allowing the information to sink into her brain, the Hyuuga heiress drew back her hand and let it limp on her side. Taking note of Hinata's displeasure, Faye decided that belittling was her best weapon in this fight since she couldn't physically hurt the heiress.

"An orange haired girl danced with him after you left. He let her kiss him. Naruto had been asking around for this girl the past two days, Hinata. He wants her not you. You have no chance against her. Or me in that case."

Ignoring her antagonist's blabbering, Hinata surveyed her surrounding and friends' battles. She saw that Tenten and Temari are already finished with theirs, Ino is enraged and Matsuri isn't even breaking a sweat in her pole fight. Her eyes landed on Sari who dodged Fumiko's pummeling. Wasting no time Sari took advantage of Fumiko's imbalance and smashed the girl to the ground, ending their fight. Hinata let her wandering eyes search for Sakura, but before she could find her pink haired friend, she felt the presence of a punch being aimed at her. Snapping away from her thoughts, the heiress acted in a blink of an eye and blocked the attack with her arm.

"That's a third rate thing to do Faye," Hinata told her opponent and in return the girl just snarled at her. Rolling her eyes, Hinata gathered up all her anger in her final blow, causing Faye to black out then and there.

* * *

Back at the bleachers, students and teachers alike are stunned beyond belief. Their jaws are agape, eyes bulging out of their sockets and breaths held in.

"Talented bunch," Madara stated with amusement, "those 7 deadly girls…"

"Che. More like 7 charms," Tsunade grunted, still intently watching the fights.

Madara angled his head to look at Tsunade, "And why so?"

"They have boys fawning over them wherever they go. Considering their young, beautiful and strong? Not that surprising," the blonde, big busted principal answered.

"I think they'd make really good Akatsuki members," The Uchiha spoke his mind, crossing his arms on his chest.

"Well, you are the leader of Akatsuki. If you say they would, then maybe so."

"Look over there. Isn't she your apprentice or something?"

Tsunade landed her eyes on the person Madara had been pointing at. It was Sakura. A grin tugged on Tsunade's lips when the pink haired teen cracked a huge boulder with a _light_ punch. Karin was already curled up into a ball, whimpering in fear. After writhing Karin's arm behind her back, Sakura didn't even need to lay another finger on the red head. Why? Seeing the ground and boulders being pulverized by a single punch from Sakura scared the wits out of the red headed girl. Tsunade would bet on her life that Karin would_ at least_ think twice before angering Sakura now. And that's saying something considering the big busted woman always loses her bets.

"Well... d'you think we should intervene now? Looks like those little devils have learnt their lesson," A chuckle escaped from Madara's lips but as soon as it came, it was gone. Uchiha's don't do chuckling.

"Heh. They'll need surgeries," Tsunade laughed at her own exaggeration and signaled for the Akatsuki members to stop the fights between the 14 girls.

* * *

_**THAT NIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL:**_

_**.**_

A tear sled down the cheek of a certain pink haired girl as she sat down on the chair next to her sleeping mom's bed. She observed her mother's chest move up and down from breathing_.  
Breathing_… a sign that she's not dead at all. It was reassuring but her being in a coma and with no knowledge of when she'll awake or even _if _she would… the thought struck her hard. She shouldn't be a pessimist in situations like this! Her mom _will_ survive this. She can't _not_ wake up. That'll be insane. Right…?

_**KNOCK**_

_**KNOCK**_

_**KNOCK!**_

The door creaked opened and light from the hallways illuminated the dark room. A head popped in from the side of the door, "Sakura?"

That voice! It couldn't be could it? Sakura turned her head to look at the person who called out her name. A gasp slipped out of the teen's mouth.

"No way…"

* * *

**Well what do you think? I'd been too lazy to write down this chapter so i don't think it's that good. But oh well. SO anyways, who's the late night visitor? What were those memories that raided Ino's mind during the fights? WHO is Manami and what has Namitaki to do with all these? What part does Kiba play in this wild past? xD oh and who was the girl flirting with Choji?**


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